SLIDELL - A Slidell man was attacked by an alligator during Hurricane Ida and has yet to be found.

The 71-year-old man was in his shed on Avery Drive when his wife was alerted of the attack by the commotion, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. She was able to pull him away from the alligator before leaving to call for help.

The victim's wife fled in a boat looking for help due to Hurricane Ida cutting off phone service and high water in the area. When she returned to the shed, her husband was gone.

After about six hours of searching, authorities were still unable to find her husband. This is an ongoing investigation, but foul play is not suspected at this time.

His shed was located near lake Pontchartrain and took in several feet of floodwater due to Hurricane Ida. Large alligators are common to the area because some residents feed them, according to the couple's neighbors.