Francine is downgraded to a tropical storm, but not before leaving darkness and destruction in its wake. Francine made landfall late this afternoon as a Category Two hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of close to 100 miles an hour. Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna took a drive into town to see the scene for himself, but he had to turn around because too much debris was hitting his truck. He returned home and noticed considerable damage at his place.

Cut 5 (09) “…is considerably blowing.”

The winds uprooted trees, ripped down powerlines and tore roofs off buildings. The storm surge also submerged marinas along the coast.

As for where Francine stands right now – again, it is now a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds down to 70 miles an hour. It’s located about 35 miles west-northwest of New Orleans and is moving northeast at 16 miles an hour.

A dramatic rescue in New Orleans, and it all unfolded on live TV. Jonah Gilmore was doing a live shot on New Orleans TV station WDSU from the Canal Street Underpass as a pickup truck that went around barricades was becoming submerged in floodwaters. The driver was still inside, and a good Samaritan got him out in the nick of time.

Cut 23 (12) “…there it is.”

Miles Crawford was the man who broke the window and pulled the driver to safety.

Cut 24 (04) “…save lives, right?”

If you’re driving and you encounter high waters, do not chance it. Turn around, don’t drown. A flash flood warning remains in effect for much of southeastern Louisiana, including New Orleans.

The number of people without power continues to climb. At last check, that number is now up to almost 350-thousand customers.

Cut 26 (10) (nats fade)

That’s what it sounded like when Hurricane Francine made landfall late this afternoon. At the time, it was packing maximum sustained winds of close to 100 miles an hour. The storm has weakened since coming ashore; at last check, the winds were down to 75 miles an hour, which is barely above the hurricane threshold. But as Francine is making its way through Southeast Louisiana, it is leaving darkness and destruction in its wake. At last check, there are almost 300-thousand customers without power. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says his crews are ready to get the lights back on as soon as possible.

Cut 21 (14) “…this storm on.”

A flash flood warning has been issued for much of Southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans.

Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges says if you don’t absolutely have to venture out onto the roadways, don’t.

Cut 25 (14) “…and remain inside.”

Part of this is to give rescue and recovery crews space to do their jobs. Some 23-hundred Louisiana National Guardsmen are activated, ready to help in the mission. Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“Mummy”) says the guard has resources available to help people stranded and trapped in floodwaters.

Cut 14 (12) “…and other operations.”

The guard is also ready to help with logistical support, including tarps, bottled water and meals ready to eat.

As Hurricane Francine continues to weaken, the number of customers plunged into darkness continues to rise. At last check, there are almost 240-thousand customers across the state without electricity. Obviously, nearly all of them are those in the path of Francine. That includes more than 51-thousand in New Orleans, which is experiencing heavy rains and high winds with the eyewall scraping the city.

Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says manpower is more than quadrupled, and they’re ready to get to work.

Cut 26 (10) “…take several days.”

As for where Francine stands right now, maximum sustained winds are now down to 75 miles an hour. That’s barely above hurricane threshold. The center of the eye is located about 50 miles west-southwest of New Orleans, and it continues to move northeast at 17 miles an hour. 

The mayor of Morgan City says the scene in his city was surreal. Mayor Lee Dragna says Francine plunged his city completely in the dark.

Cut 4 (10) “…trees are down.”

In fact, Dragna says when he took a drive into town to see the scene for himself, he had to turn around because too much debris was hitting his truck. So he returned home and noticed considerable damage at his place, including his fence being completely gone.

Governor Landry authorized the activation of up to 25-hundred National Guardsmen to help in the aftermath of Francine.

Cut 13 (09)  “…this great state.”

Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“mummy”) says the guard has resources available to help with  search and rescue, as well as logistics, including things like tarps, bottled water and meals ready to eat.

Hurricane Francine has left thousands of residents without power. Many are relying on generators until electricity is restored.  Sean Richardson has some safety tips.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Many homes suffered significant structural damage from Francine.  Now homeowners are starting the insurance claim process.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Morgan City was among the communities that took the brunt of the storm. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The mayor of Morgan City says the scene in his city was surreal. Mayor Lee Dragna says Francine plunged his city completely in the dark.

Cut 4 (10) “…trees are down.”

In fact, Dragna says when he took a drive into town to see the scene for himself, he had to turn around because too much debris was hitting his truck. So he returned home and noticed considerable damage at his place.

Cut 5 (09) “…is considerably blowing.”

Mayor Dragna says the storm ripped down trees, which caused further damage.

Cut 6 (11) …the power lines.”

Thousands in St. Mary Parish, which includes Morgan City, had their power knocked out by the storm.

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, thousands are without power. Many are relying on generators. State Fire Marshal’s Assistant Fire Chief Mark Treadway urgers users to keep generators outdoors, away from windows and doors, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal.

Cut 7 (07) “…and vents.”

Treadway also advised ensuring that generators are properly ventilated and never refueled while running to avoid fires or explosions.

Cut 8 (09) “…wall outlet.”

Treadway says when using a generator always have a Carbon Monoxide alarm to monitor C-O levels in the home.

Cut 9 (07)  “…vent your home.”

While power restoration efforts are underway residents are encouraged to follow safety protocols and stay informed.

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Hurricane Francine left a trail of destruction across Louisiana, damaging numerous homes.  The storm brought flooding, powerful winds, and widespread power outages. Many homes suffered significant structural damage. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the first thing homeowners should…

Cut 10 (09) “…inspect for damage.”

Temple also reminds homeowners to gather essential information like photographs of damage and receipts for emergency repairs, which can expedite claim approval. has stressed the importance of understanding policy details to avoid potential issues in the claims process.

Cut 11 (11) “…as soon as possible.”

Temple emphasizes the importance of homeowners being prepared to file insurance claims promptly. He urged residents to review their policies and document damages as soon as possible to ensure a smoother claims process. Temple notes that being “insurance-ready” is critical in the wake of such disasters.

Cut 12 (12) “…dollarwise to you.”

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Governor Landry authorized the activation of up to 25-hundred National Guardsmen to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine.

Cut 13 (09)  “…this great state.”

Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“mummy”) says the guard has resources available to help people stranded and trapped in floodwaters.

Cut 14 (12) “…and other operations.”

Colonel Mumme says they are also ready to provide logistical support.

Cut 15 (08) “…tarps, sandbags.”

The number of Guardmen activated could increase depending on the need.

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LSU Coach Brian Kelly said the plan is to give sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks more playing time, possibly make him a starter. Weeks is one of the team leaders in tackles with 12 and he’s coming off a six tackle performance against Nicholls. Kelly says Weeks is playing to well for him to be a platoon player…

Cut 16 (18)   “…linebacker position.”

LSU is preparing for its SEC opener at South Carolina on Saturday. There’s an 80-percent chance of rain in Columbia. Kelly says before Francine made landfall, they practiced outside yesterday so they can get a feel of playing in the rain…

Cut 17 (15) “…on Saturday”

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The Saints can make a huge statement with a win over Dallas on Sunday. New Orleans won by 37 points over Carolina in the season opener. Linebacker Demario Davis says they need to follow up that win with another one….

Cut 18 (19)  “…embrace it.”

Coach Dennis Allen is impressed with Dallas defense, which sacks Browns quarterback DeShaun Watson six times last week…

Cut 19 (21) “….back end” 

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Louisiana Tech is preparing to play a North Carolina State offense led by Quarterback Grayson McCall, who was a three-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year at Coastal Carolina. Bulldogs defensive back Cedric Woods talked about the game plan

Cut 20 (15) “…third and long.”

Kick off is at 11 AM.

As Hurricane Francine continues making its way inland, it continues to weaken. It came ashore in Terrebonne Parish late this afternoon packing maximum sustained winds of close to 100 miles an hour. Those winds are now down to 85 miles an hour, and it’s expected to continue to weaken. As of seven this evening, the eye of the storm was located about 20 miles east-southeast of Morgan City and about 55 miles west-southwest of New Orleans. It’s continuing to move northeast at 17 miles an hour, as it has been for the last several hours.

Power outages continue to increase – I’m now seeing that more than 134-thousand people have lost power. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says they have more than quadrupled their normal manpower to get power back up and running as quickly as possible.

Cut 22 (10) “…it’s morning light.”

Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have nearly 50-thousand people combined without power.

The Louisiana National Guard is mobilized, ready to support rescue and recovery operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine. Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“mummy”) says they’re ready to help.

Cut 14 (12) “…and other operations.”

The guard also provides logistical support with tarps, water and meals ready to eat.

With electrical and rescue crews fanned across the affected areas, DOTD Secretary Joe Donahue is urging you to please stay off the roads.

Cut 24 (12) “…keep safety first.”

And if you have damage to your property, the first thing you should do, once it’s safe to do so, is to take pictures and document the damage to make the insurance process go more smoothly.

The eye of Hurricane Francine is now inland. It made landfall late this afternoon in Terrebonne Parish as a Category Two hurricane. Fortunately, Francine has started to weaken. Maximum sustained winds are now down to 90 miles an hour, downgrading it to a Category One storm. It’s still maintaining that northeasterly track at 17 miles an hour, so the storm should pass through the state very quickly.

The power outages are soaring – more than 81-thousand people are now without power. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says his crews are ready to get the lights back on as soon as possible.

Cut 23 (14) “…this storm on.”

Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have almost 20-thousand people in the dark each.

If you’re using a portable generator, keep it outdoors, away from windows and doors, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal.

Governor Landry can’t stress enough – please stay off the roads.

Cut 21 (10) “…your daily lives.”

Many homes will sustain significant structural damage from the storm. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the first thing those homeowners should do…

Cut 10 (09) “…inspect for damage.”

Temple also reminds homeowners to gather essential information like photographs of damage and receipts for emergency repairs, which can expedite claim approval process.

Tangipahoa (TAN-jee-pa-HOE-ah) Parish is preparing for Francine by learning lessons from past storms like Hurricane Ida. Parish President Robbie Miller says Entergy has invested millions making the infrastructure more robust…

Cut 15 (07) “…able to handle it.”

Hurricane Francine has officially made landfall in Terrebonne Parish as a Category Two hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of close to 100 miles an hour. It is moving exactly northeast at 17 miles an hour. LRN Meteorologist Bill Jackerman says this should be the peak of the storm.

Cut 28 (13) “…the storm weakens.”

GOHSEP spokesman Mike Steele says many trees were weakened by last year’s drought and it could lead to more trees and limbs falling on power lines…

Cut 3 (12) “…or whatever.”

Officials are urging you to stay off the roads to allow emergency crews to do their work.

Now that Francine has made landfall, we’re starting to see more and more power outages. Statewide, I’m seeing that almost 40-thousand people are without power. Not all of them from the hurricane, but the bulk of the power outages are concentrated in the coastal parishes of southeastern Louisiana. Almost ten-thousand in St. Mary Parish and more than seven-thousand in Terrebonne Parish, where Francine made landfall.

St. John the Baptist Parish is in the path of the storm. It’s seen its fair share of damage from previous hurricanes. Parish president Jaclyn Hotard says her biggest concern with Francine is flooding…

Cut 12 (09) “…heavy rainfall.”

Hotard says with the storm expected to move through the state quickly, she’s confident that issues will be limited to localized street flooding. St. John the Baptist Parish is bordered by lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas.

Francine is now a Category Two hurricane. We just got the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. It says Francine is now packing maximum sustained winds of 100 miles an hour. It has moved to within 40 miles south-southwest of Morgan City and is moving northeast at around 17 miles an hour. That means we’re expecting the storm to make landfall within the next hour or two.

State Climatologist Jay Grimes says while this is shaping up to be a severe storm, the worst will be over by the end of the day today.

Cut 11 (14) “…system as well.”

Governor Landry and GOHSEP say if you have not evacuated by now, it’s too late. The best thing you can do is to hunker down, ride out the storm and stay off the roads.

As far as power outages go, almost 24-hundred customers in St. Mary Parish are in the dark. And for those and others who lose power, it could be out for quite a while.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Tangipahoa (TAN-jee-pa-HOE-ah) Parish President Robbie Miller says there is a strong emphasis on ensuring power and water services remain operational, with backup systems in place for medical facilities. Miller says Entergy has invested millions making the infrastructure more robust…

Cut 15 (07) “…able to handle it.”

We’re not too far from hurricane force winds coming ashore. The eye of Hurricane Francine is now 60 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, moving to the northeast at 17 miles an hour. Maximum sustained winds remain at 90 miles an hour, making it a strong Category One hurricane. And now, I’m starting to see reports of power outages. Within the hour, St. Mary Parish is reporting almost 18-hundred customers without power. In Assumption Parish, that number is just over 13-hundred.

GOHSEP Spokesman Mike Steele says many trees were weakened by last year’s drought and it could lead to more trees and limbs falling on power lines…

Cut 3 (12) “…or whatever.”

GOHSEP says the time to evacuate has passed; so if you’re in the path of the storm, the best thing for you to do right now is to hunker down and ride out the storm.

Hurricane Francine may be bearing down on southeast Louisiana as a strong Category one storm. But it’s not all doom and gloom.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

St. John the Baptist Parish has seen its fair share of damage from previous hurricanes. Parish president Jaclyn Hotard says she’s encouraged by Francine’s forecast, which shows the storm moving quickly through the River Parishes.

Cut 13 (08) “…the way” 

Some areas of the Louisiana Coast are starting to feel the effects of Hurricane Francine. As of one this afternoon, Francine was located 95 miles southwest of Morgan City, packing maximum sustained winds of 90 miles an hour. It’s now moving northeast at 17 miles an hour. Tropical storm force winds extend 115 miles from the eye, so locations within the path are starting to get those high winds.

A tornado watch is in effect for many Southeast Louisiana parishes, including those in the New Orleans area. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form. A tornado WARNING, on the other hand, means a tornado is present. The watch is in effect until 11 tonight.

Governor Landry is urging you to stay off the roads, not only to keep yourself safe, but also to allow emergency workers room to do their rescue and recovery work during and after the storm.

Cut 10 (06) “…and stay put.”

Hurricane Francine may be bearing down on southeast Louisiana as a strong Category one storm. But it’s not all doom and gloom.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Tangipahoa (TAN-jee-pa-HOE-ah) Parish is preparing for Francine by learning lessons from past storms like Hurricane Ida. Parish President Robbie Miller says that Ida was a storm that changed how the parish prepares…

Cut  14 (05) “..time to recover.”

Shelter locations for Tangipahoa are Restoration Church, Amite (AY-meet) Community Center, and Brown’s Chapel.