Terrebonne Parish Mostly Without Power

HOUMA, La. -- Some people who evacuated Terrebonne Parish have returned home ahead of the official re-entry Friday morning.

More than 90 percent of the homes in Terrebonne Parish have no electricity after bearing much of the brunt of Hurricane Gustav when it made landfall earlier in the week. Parish leaders said power may not be fully restored for the better part of a month.

Among the people who WDSU NewsChannel 6's Travers Mackel found who had returned home included Ed Naquin, who's living off generator power.

"It has some slight damage, but it's not that bad," Naquin said of his property.

Naquin and his son said they plan to live in their home no matter the conditions around them.

"I don't like it, of course. The damage is significant because of power lines," Naquin said.

Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, Terrebonne Parish residents can return to look at their property.

"I know people want to. I did," Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois said.

When people do return, there will be several makeshift stations opened up to provide them with ready-to-eat meals and water, Mackel reported. One of the locations includes H.L. Bourgeois High School.

Bourgeois said people should look and leave once they see their property.

"This is not a safe place," he said. "There are no hospitals open."

Mackel reported that power crews are working around the clock to restore the hospitals and power to everyone.

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