NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans area may have experienced less than expected rainfall from Tropical Storm Cindy so far, but Mayor Mitch Landrieu wants everyone to remain vigilant.
At a morning news conference flanked by NOPD, NOFD, Entergy, and other emergency response personnel, Landrieu stressed that we have not seen the last of Cindy yet.
“We expect an additional three to six inches of rain over the next 48 hours, and we have thunderstorms that are expected over the weekend,” Landrieu said. “We could stay on the fortunate side, and that rain could come over a period of time. But if it all comes at one time, we expect to have localized flooding throughout the city.”
Throughout yesterday afternoon and night, the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast took the brunt of Cindy’s wrath, with tornadoes confirmed just north of Biloxi this morning.
Around four inches of rainfall was reported across Orleans Parish yesterday, Landrieu said, causing some flooding in Venetian Isles and Lake Catherine when combined with already rising tides.
“I’m going to ask the public and our citizens to stay alert and to be prepared,” Landrieu said.
Entergy New Orleans representative Melanie Stewart said about 7,100 customers were without power at the height of the storm last night, but that number has been reduced to around 150.
All customers should have power restored by 2 p.m., Stewart said.
With high winds expected to continue, Landrieu said there is more potential for flooding, power outages, and tornados.
“We’re not out of it yet,” he said.