METAIRIE, La. — According to Entergy, nearly 11,000 customers were out of power in Jefferson and Orleans Parish around 9 a.m. Saturday morning.
Outages were reported in Metairie and Old Jefferson. But by noon, most of the red lines on Entergy's outage map had disappeared from the area. Just over 500 Jefferson Parish customers were still in the dark around noon, according to the utility company.
The outage also shut down some traffic signals on Airline Parkway and Jefferson Highway. Some businesses in the area stayed open and served customers in the dark.
“We have the register propped open so we can try and get in there,” said Baker’s Dozen owner Brandi Miller. “We’re tiptoeing around here trying to still wait on customers and give them what we have left.”
Baker’s Dozen couldn’t use their fryer during the outage, which briefly impacted their ability to keep up with their King Cake orders. Their front door suffered minor damage when high winds blew it open.
Dot’s Diner also served customers in the dark. They were able to continue cooking because their kitchen appliances work on gas. Power was restored quickly, leaving employees grateful that the impact of the storm was minimal.
“I think it was like Mother Nature saying 'Hi' and 'Bye' all at the same time, so we're good,” said manager Rosemary Probst.
An Entergy spokesperson said there was minimal tree damage in Jefferson and Orleans Parish, which allowed them to get the power back on quickly for most customers.
Watch the storm tracker here:
Across the state, more than 33,000 people lost power during the height of the storm as Entergy crews worked to repair service disrupted by wind gusts up to 70 mph.
Firefighters in Madisonville confirmed Saturday morning that lightning struck a house near Autumn Creek Drive, damaging it.
By 11 a.m. most of the storm appeared to have passed the New Orleans area, with rain expected to continue through around noon. A Tornado Watch for the area was rescinded by the National Weather Service after the worst of the storm passed.
The weather has killed three people in northern Louisiana and injured several others.
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