In battle to restore power after Ida, a tent city rises

By REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press

AMELIA, La. (AP) — Ida knocked out power to about 1.1 million customers in Louisiana when it came ashore Aug. 29. Within days, electric officials transformed an empty lot into a bustling “tent city” with enormous, air-conditioned tents for workers, a gravel parking lot for bucket trucks and a station to resupply crews restoring power to the region. After workers park their trucks at sunset and head in to eat, shower and sleep, gasoline trucks drive up and down the rows to fuel the vehicles so no time is lost in the morning. Thousands of people are still in the dark while downed lines are righted and substations repaired.