Francine updates: Storm pushes across South as tropical depression

Francine made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane.

ByKevin Shalvey, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: September 12, 2024, 2:34 PM EDT

Hurricane Francine made landfall Wednesday evening in Louisiana, southwest of New Orleans, as a Category 2 storm. Francine has since weakened to a tropical depression as it brings heavy rain to the South on Thursday.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
2:34 PM EDT

No fatalities reported in Louisiana

No fatalities have been reported from the storm in Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry said Thursday, and he thanked residents for heeding all the warnings.

People assess wreckage after Hurricane Francine swept through the area on Sept. 12, 2024 in Houma, La.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

A Louisiana trooper suffered minor injuries while removing a downed tree from a road Wednesday night, officials said. The trooper was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

Power outages due to vegetation are the biggest issue in Louisiana, officials said.

Residents walk past a tree that fell on a house in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, in Morgan City, La., Sept. 12, 2024.
Gerald Herbert/AP

Fourteen route-clearance teams are out working to clear debris, officials said.

-ABC News’ Alexandra Faul

11:59 AM EDT

Over 340,000 without power in Louisiana

More than 340,000 customers are without power in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Francine. About 36,000 customers are without power in Mississippi and 36,000 are in the dark in Alabama.

A bent stop sign is seen at Neyrey Dr. and W. Napoleon Ave where water from the W. Napoleon drainage canal overtopped after a deluge of rain from Hurricane Francine in Metairie, La., in Jefferson Parish, Sept. 11, 2024.
Matthew Hinton/AP

8:33 AM EDT

What to expect next

Francine -- which brought a record daily rainfall to New Orleans -- is now pushing north, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds and potential tornadoes to the South.

A car is submerged to its wheel well on Neyrey Dr. as water overflows the nearby W. Napoleon Ave drainage canal after a deluge of rain from Hurricane Francine in Metairie, La., in Jefferson Parish, Sept. 11, 2024.
Matthew Hinton/AP

Eight states across the South are under wind and flood alerts, from Louisiana to Missouri.

As Francine moves north, it is expected to slow down and stall. An additional 5 to 10 inches of rain is possible across the South, especially in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia.

8:09 AM EDT

Francine weakens to tropical depression

Francine weakened to a tropical depression as it moved over south-central Mississippi Thursday morning.

Francine is now spreading heavy rain across Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

A tornado watch is in effect for Florida and Alabama.

A mangled tree blocks covers part of the street in front of a house in New Orleans' Carrollton neighborhood as Hurricane Francine hit the city with high winds and flooding rain on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.
Kevin Mcgill/AP