Post-tropical cyclone Francine continues to cause disruption across the Gulf Coast, leaving about 318,000 people without power across several states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. After making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish, Francine has now weakened, with sustained winds of 25 mph as it moves northward.

The storm’s passage over New Orleans last night brought heavy rain, with the city receiving between 5 and 7 inches of rainfall. As Francine heads toward Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama, parts of these regions remain under flood watches. The National Hurricane Center has warned that up to 12 inches of rainfall may affect some areas, posing a significant flood risk. Additionally, tornado warnings have been issued for the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry emphasized the urgency of restoring power to affected areas, with roughly half of the initial 500,000 power outages now addressed. Landry noted that power is the state’s top priority and that authorities are working closely with federal agencies, including FEMA, to ensure speedy recovery. Landry also pointed out that some infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Ida in 2021 remains unaddressed, complicating the state’s response.

Chevron announced that production at its offshore facilities in the Gulf of Mexico will only resume once the storm passes and crews can be safely redeployed. Although most of its operations have not been affected, the company stressed its commitment to worker safety and environmental protection during the recovery period.

While Francine’s winds have lessened, the storm continues to pose a threat to areas across the southeastern United States. Flood advisories and wind warnings are still in place, and recovery efforts are expected to continue throughout the weekend. Governor Landry expressed hope that full power restoration could be achieved by Sunday.