Louisiana begins cleanup as storm moves inland

MORGAN CITY, LA. Francine weakened Thursday after striking Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of utility customers, sent storm surge rushing into coastal communities and raised flooding fears in New Orleans and beyond.

- JACK BROOK AND SARACLINE

As the system moved inland, crews began clearing roads and restoring electricity while neighbourhoods and businesses started cleaning up the mess. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, Gov. Jeff Landry said.

“The human spirit is defined by its resiliency, and resiliency is what defines Louisiana,” Landry told a news conference. “Certainly there are times and situations that try us, but it is also when we in this state are at our very best.”

At the peak of the storm, 450,000 people in Louisiana were without power, based on numbers reported by the Public Service Commission. Many of the outages were linked to falling debris, not structural damage. At one point, around 500 people were in emergency shelters, state officials said.