(Hahnville, La.)  -- St. Charles Parish elected officials opened the borders Tuesday to residents that left the parish as evacuees fleeing from the onslaught of Hurricane Gustav this weekend.

Logan Banks

St. Charles Sheriff Greg Champagne

During a media briefing at the parish courthouse in Hahnville, Parish President V. J. St. Pierre said he lifted the mandatory evacuation order so the people who want to come back home can do so as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.

St. Pierre, Sheriff Greg Champagne and Director of Emergency Operations Tab Troxler warned evacuees that they are coming back to communities that are operating with limited services, though.

St. Pierre said that 90-percent of Entergy customers are still without electrical power, and that they are returning to their homes with limited medical services and other essential services to which they have become accustomed.

“It’s like camping,” Champagne stressed.  “No grocery stores are opened, no gas stations are opened, (and without electrical power) there is no air-conditioning.”

“We know people wan to comeback but we want them to understand completely what they are coming back to,” Champagne said.

“But, we will still allow them people to come back if they have a compelling reason,” he added.

Champagne said the only re-entry route available to evacuees is through the Interstate 55 south via I-10.  He has instructed Louisiana State Police to allow residents with valid identification, and workers with proper creditentials to return to St. Charles Parish.

The leaders said that people returning should remain alert about the trees and utility poles that litter parish roadways and streets.  They also warned that many trees and poles could still fall down because the ground is saturated with rainwater that Gustav and Fay dumped into the soil.

Champagne asked evacuees to remain patient about essential services, which he said may take two weeks to return to normal.

Troxler said that the East St. Charles is in better shape than Westbank communities like Luling, Boutte and Hahnville.

Troxler said that the refineries along the Mississippi River are mostly shut down following the storm but are working to get operations started again.

The officials said they are also concerned about a tidal surge that is rising near Bayou Gauche adjacent to Lake Des Allemands.

“We are in better shape than after Katrina,”  Troxler said.   “But, (electrical) power is the problem.”

“We still want to let people to return if they feel they have to,” Troxler said.  He described it as “balancing act between property rights” and the work that needs to be done to get the parish back to normal.

The officials also said schools will remain closed through at least Friday.

The said that evacuees can consult  www.stcharlesgov.net  for updated information, or they can call the Emergency Operation Center at (985) 783-5050.