Louisiana authorities are investigating a possible alligator attack in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
The attack reportedly occurred near Slidell, a town northeast of New Orleans.
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St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Lance Vitter told WWL-TV that they received a call from the wife of a 71-year-old man, telling them her husband was attacked by an alligator at their house on Avery Drive.
"The area's well-known to have alligators," Captain Vitter said.
Vitter said that according to the man's wife, he had gone into their shed under their raised house to check on some belongings because Hurricane Ida had pushed some water up under the home.
"She said that he went down to the shed underneath the raised house to check on some stuff in his shed," said Capt. Vitter. "She heard the ruckus and then when she opened the door and looked down, he was being attacked by the alligator."
Vitter says the wife pulled the man up out of the water, and seeing the severity of his injuries, went to call for help, but had to leave the scene to get the call out.
"It was very hard for her to contact us, initially," said Vitter. When deputies arrived, all they found was a lot of blood, but no victim. The man was gone.
"There was no body," said Vitter. "But they could see signs of blood where a man was attacked."
Vitter says they have to treat it as a missing persons case, since there is no body, but they aren't hopeful they will find him alive.
"To lose a loved one is always a tragedy, but in this manner is even unthinkable," said Vitter.
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