A weakened Francine leaves 160,000 without power in Louisiana

Residents along Louisiana's Gulf Coast are recovering from the impact of Francine, which made landfall in the state as a Category 2 hurricane.

The hurricane packed wind gusts up to 100 miles per hour and heavy rain as it came ashore and quickly moved toward New Orleans, pounding the city with torrential rains overnight.

More than 160,000 customers were without power in Louisiana as of Thursday evening, according to PowerOutage.us .

Francine has now downgraded to a tropical depression as it moves inland, and will continue to weaken as it heads over Mississippi and other states.

The National Weather Service enacted Flood Watches and Wind Advisories for parts of the Mississippi Delta, Tennessee Valley, and Southeast on Thursday night.

Isolated totals of as much as eight inches of rain were forecast in portions of central and northern Alabama, western Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. Two to four inches were forecast in parts of northern Mississippi, northeast Arkansas, southwest Kentucky, and western Georgia.

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Considerable flash and urban flooding are possible through the evening over portions of central and northern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Officials are imposing overnight curfews in some areas, with emergency vehicles and personnel exempt.

Residents are urged to follow local guidance.

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