NEW ORLEANS — More than 40,000 homes in west St. Tammany Parish were without power Saturday, Mandeville Mayor Donald Villere said in an official social media post by the city.
Officials did not expect the storm to hit as hard as it did in Mandeville, the mayor said.
Cleco is working on restoring power and has called in additional contractors to help with the recovery. The company didn't have enough contractors staged for recovery because they didn't expect this much damage, so it might take some time before power is restored, Villere said.
Winds blew trees into at least four homes in Mandeville, and trees have been blown down on Monroe and Coffee Streets. Also, Lakeshore Drive is flooded, Villere said.
"Please do not drive in the affected areas," Villere said. "It is best if you stay off the street. Our police are out in force working to clear streets and direct traffic."
Mandeville officials are working to bring power back to homes as quickly as possible
If you have a utility emergency in Mandeville, call the Mandeville Police Department at 985.626.9711, for medical emergencies call 911.
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