LAFAYETTE PARISH — The aftermath of Hurricane Francine continues to unfold, leaving hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents without power. The storm made landfall Tuesday afternoon, causing widespread power outages and significant damage to communities like Houma, one of the hardest-hit areas.

Slemco is one of the utilities stepping up, sending a crew of 50 linemen south to help SLECA in Houma, where the entire system remains offline. More than 20,000 customers are currently without power.

Crews are using boom lifts, off-road vehicles, four-wheel drive equipment, pole trailers and extended booms to remove downed trees and access flooded areas.

Even though they work for different companies, the linemen are united in their mission. “When hurricanes hit our system, we do what we can, but there’s no way we can do everything with just our employees,” said Shad Babineaux, a Slemco lineman. “Other people come in and help us out, so when it happens somewhere else, we go and help them.”

Repairs are ongoing, with workers working around the clock to restore power to the affected region.