Tropical storm Francine is moving inland after striking the Gulf coast as a category two hurricane Wednesday evening, thousands in Louisiana are without power and in many areas, residents are waiting for floodwaters to recede. In order to survey the damage they Malkoff has the latest. The rain fell and sparks flew with a transformer reportedly exploding in meadow, Louisiana. Francine made landfall in the state as a category two hurricane weakening to a tropical storm as it reached New Orleans. The Flood Protection authority says they closed 52 floodgates to protect against possible storm surges. But the streets in Terrebonne Parish look like an ocean. The storm downed trees and street signs. More than 300,000 Louisiana customers are without power. First responders and crews tried to clear what they could. Even among the blowing winds, the roof was just torn apart. You can see how it's just kind of peeled back like an old fashioned sardine. Can. This thrift store in Houma is gone. It's very serious for this neighborhood because it's maybe the most affordable place for anybody in this neighborhood to shop. The director of the National Hurricane Center told CBS news many deaths occur after a hurricane has passed because people are going out into flooded areas getting too close to power lines and using generators in an unsafe way. Louisiana's governor told everyone to just watch out. We are going to have a lot of people on the roadway that is necessary to put the vital infrastructure back in place so that you can go about your daily lives. The remnants of Francine are spinning northwards through Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas with tornado threats. As far east as Florida dry areas are in danger of getting too much rain too quickly. Dave Malkoff, CBS News, Houma, Louisiana.