Power Returns, Curfew Lifted in New Orleans 10 Days After Hurricane Ida

Ten days after Hurricane Ida pummeled Louisiana, power has been restored to most — but not all — of the city of New Orleans, according to Entergy, helping prompt Mayor LaToya Cantrell to lift a citywide curfew that has been in place since Tuesday, August 31.

About 28,000 customers in Orleans Parish and 88,000 customers in neighboring Jefferson Parish remain without power, says the utility company, with more extensive outages remaining in the hardest-hit River Parishes, including Terrebonne, St. Charles, and parts of Plaquemines parish — outages that could last until the end of the month. For those without power in Orleans and Jefferson parishes, Entergy said Wednesday they expect to restore power to 90 percent of customers by midnight.

The city of New Orleans issued a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. two days after Hurricane Ida made landfall, as it became clear mass power outages would persist for days or weeks to come. At the news the curfew was lifted, some restaurants and bars immediately made plans to reopen or expand their previously limited hours, like Mid City Yacht Club. The neighborhood favorite said on Instagram it would reopen — late — with slightly limited kitchen hours to start on Wednesday, September 8. Still others like beloved St. Charles Avenue beer bar Avenue Pub are waiting to reopen, in order to give staff a chance to “come home safely, organize and assess their homes, and make sure they have power before they return to work.”

In light of the many households that have had their power restored in the last few days, local nonprofit Culture Aid NOLA is holding a major “Fill the Fridge” free grocery distribution event Wednesday, September 8 at 2 p.m. at Tad Gormley Stadium. To donate to Culture Aid NOLA’s ongoing food and resource distribution efforts, see here, and for more ways to help New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Ida, see Eater’s guide here.

• About 278,000 without power 10 days after Hurricane Ida; more progress in urban areas [NOLA.COM]