Tropical Storm Francine Causes Severe Flooding and Power Outages in Louisiana
Tropical Storm Francine has brought significant disruption to southern Louisiana, resulting in extensive flooding and widespread power outages early Thursday.
The storm, which made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Terrebonne Parish late Wednesday, is the first hurricane to hit Louisiana since 2021 and the third to land in the US this year.
As of early Thursday, the storm’s center was approximately 60 miles north of New Orleans, moving northeast at 12 mph. Francine weakened from its initial 100 mph winds at landfall to 45 mph by morning. The National Hurricane Center forecasts further weakening, with the storm likely to become a tropical depression by late Thursday and a post-tropical cyclone by Thursday night.
In the New Orleans area, rainfall totals reached 6-8 inches, prompting a brief flash flood emergency. Despite no additional rainfall expected early Thursday, existing flooding continues to pose significant challenges. Out of 99 drainage pump systems in New Orleans, 90 were operational, according to city officials. Areas such as St. James Parish and Jefferson Parish reported severe street flooding and urged residents to avoid travel.
The storm’s impact extended to power infrastructure, with more than 380,000 utility customers without electricity early Thursday. Lafourche Parish saw over 25,000 outages, and issues with communication services also occurred. In response, deputies rescued 26 residents trapped in floodwaters in Lafourche Parish.
Strong winds associated with Francine were also notable, with gusts reaching 55-65 mph in New Orleans. Tropical storm warnings were in effect for areas stretching from Grand Isle, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida state line. The storm also brought a tornado watch for parts of southeast Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle, with the risk extending into Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
Air travel was significantly affected as Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport canceled all flights for Wednesday and some for Thursday. Additionally, a Carnival cruise faced delays in docking due to the storm. Transportation issues also impacted other areas, with several Louisiana universities and colleges closing campuses or shifting to remote learning.
FOX Weather, CNN, and the Daily Mail contributed to this report.
