Hurricane Ida live updates: 'Technical difficulties' with 911 system in New Orleans

About 16 hours after making landfall in Louisiana, Ida was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm early Monday morning.

As of 4 a.m. CT, Ida was moving north at 8 miles per hour with the eye of the storm located about 95 miles south-southwest of Jackson, Mississippi, and 50 miles north-northeast of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The storm's maximum sustained winds have decreased near 60 miles per hour with higher gusts, according to an advisory from the National Weather Service.

The storm surge warning has been discontinued from Morgan City to Grand Isle, Louisiana. The hurricane and tropical storm warnings have been discontinued west of Grand Isle. The hurricane warning has been replaced with a tropical storm warning from Grand Isle to the mouth of the Pearl River, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas and metropolitan New Orleans. Storm surge and tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Grand Isle to the Alabama-Florida border, according to the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, 16 states from Mississippi to New Jersey are still on alert for flash flooding. A flash flood watch is in place from the Gulf Coast to New Jersey.

So far, the highest rainfall total was recorded in LaPlace, Louisiana, which received 15 inches. A flash flood emergency remains in effect there, according to the National Weather Service.

Ida is forecast to rapidly weaken even more over the next day or so, becoming a tropical depression by Monday evening.

The storm will move farther inland over southeastern Louisiana early Monday and into southwestern Mississippi later in the morning. Ida is then forecast to move over central and northeastern Mississippi on Monday afternoon and evening before moving across the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

-ABC News' Max Golembo

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for eastern Harrison County and northwestern Jackson County, both in southern Mississippi.

As Hurricane Ida approaches the Magnolia State, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located via radar over Biloxi in Mississippi's Harrison County early Monday at 2:46 a.m. CT. The "tornadic thunderstorm" was moving north at 65 miles per hour, according to an alert from the National Weather Service, which urged people to "take cover now!"

"Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows," the National Weather Service said. "If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris."

The storm could impact the Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport as well as several miles of Interstate 10 and 110 in Mississippi, according to the National Weather Service. The tornado warning will remain in effect until 3:45 a.m. CT.

"Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter," the National Weather Service warned. "Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely."

-ABC News' Max Golembo

The emergency communications center for New Orleans said it is "experiencing technical difficulties" with its 911 system, after the city lost power due to Hurricane Ida.

"If you find yourself in an emergency, please go to your nearest fire station or approach your nearest officer," the Orleans Parish Communication District announced via Twitter early Monday. "We will update you once this issue has been resolved."

Ida has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour, as it continues to thrash Louisiana.

As of 1 a.m. CT, Ida was moving north at 9 miles per hour with the eye of the storm located about 20 miles south-southwest of Greensburg, Louisiana, and 45 miles from McComb, Mississippi, according to an advisory from the National Weather Service.

Ida is expected to continue heading north inland over southeastern Louisiana early Monday morning and later move into southwestern Mississippi, with further weakening forecast throughout the day. Ida is expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm later Monday morning, Nevertheless, the National Weather Service warned of continued threats from dangerous storm surge, damaging winds and flash flooding in parts of southeastern Louisiana.

In LaPlace, Louisiana, where up to 13 inches of rain has fallen from Ida so far, there were reports of high-water rescues to save residents trapped on top of homes amid completely flooded roads. The National Weather Service has extended a flash flood emergency for the area.

The National Weather Service also declared a flash flood emergency for Lafitte and Jean Lafitte, Louisiana, on Sunday night due to heavy rain and storm surge reportedly causing a levee to fail. Citing local law enforcement, the National Weather Service said more than 200 people were in "imminent danger" and urged people to "seek higher ground now!"

Heavy rainfall from Ida will continue Monday in southeastern Louisiana and spread northeast into the Lower Mississippi Valley. Total accumulations of 10 to 18 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 24 inches, is possible across southeastern Louisiana into far southern Mississippi through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Storm surge, hurricane and tropical storm warnings remain in effect from Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border. A tornado watch is also in place from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle until 6 a.m. CT.

Ida is forecast to turn to the northeast on Monday and track across the Middle Tennessee Valley and Upper Ohio Valley through Wednesday, dumping rain throughout the region, according to the National Weather Service.

-ABC News' Max Golembo and Samantha Wnek

Entergy, Louisiana's major electricity provider, is reporting more than 130,000 customers without power in East Baton Rouge Parish as Hurricane Ida pummels the area, according to Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome.

DEMCO, the largest electric cooperative in Louisiana, is also reporting over 7,000 outages in East Baton Rouge Parish, which is home to some 440,000 people. Meanwhile, at least 20 roads are closed throughout Louisiana's most populous parish due to fallen trees and six structures have been heavily damaged, Broome said in a video message posted on Twitter early Monday.

"There could be more trees down overnight and more damage to structures," the mayor warned. "We need everyone to remain vigilant, to stay in your home because we want you and your family to stay safe."

Broome has issued a curfew for East Baton Rouge Parish from Sunday at 8 p.m. ET to Monday at 7 a.m. CT. She urged residents to "stay in as long as possible" to allow first responders, local officials and utility company workers to assess the damage and restore power to the area.

"The truth of the matter is, restoring power could take some time," Broome admitted.

The mayor of Lafitte, Louisiana, is pleading for help Sunday night, saying the town needs help with water rescues. He told ABC News affiliate WGNO that 200 people were stranded.

"Never seen one like this," Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. told the station. "Worst storm in our history."

He said the storm waters are over the levees, have destroyed and school and has put people in "imminent" danger.

Ida has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane as it batters Louisiana. Six to 12 inches of rain has fallen in some parts of the state and another 4 to 6 inches is possible.

© Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Hotel staff brace a door to keep it from opening in high winds after the hotel lost power in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2021 during Hurricane Ida.

© Scott Olson/Getty Images NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 29: Rochun Williams uses the microwave in the entry way of the hotel after discovering a working power outlet to heat dinner for her three-year-old child during Hurricane Ida on Aug. 29, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

President Joe Biden has approved Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edward's request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration.

Ida is expected to weaken to a tropical storm Monday as it slowly moves into southwestern Mississippi with heavy rain, strong winds and flash flooding. Ida will continue to bring heavy rain through Monday across southeast Louisiana, coastal Mississippi and southwestern Alabama.

Through Wednesday, as Ida moves inland, considerable flooding is possible in parts of the lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, upper Ohio Valley, Central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic.

-ABC News' Melissa Griffin

Louisiana's Ochsner Health hospital system will evacuate 66 patients from two hospitals due to damaged roofs and windows, hospital officials said.

-ABC News' Matt Foster

In St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, recovery will take months, not weeks, parish president Guy McInnis told ABC News.

Twenty-two barges in the Mississippi River broke loose from the storm. Four barges have been significantly damaged but none pose a threat to the levees, he said.

The storm surge didn't impact the levees rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, but did damage some of the businesses in the fishing industry, he said.

-ABC News' Darren Reynolds

One death from Hurricane Ida has been confirmed in Ascension Parish, located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. A 60-year-old man was pronounced dead Sunday night after a tree fell at a home in Prairieville, the state's Department of Health said.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office is receiving "numerous" calls for trees into homes, Sheriff Bobby Webre told ABC Baton Rouge affiliate WBRZ.

-ABC News' Matt Foster