Crews work to restore power in wake of Gustav (UALR Public Radio) - Utility crews hustled to restore electricity across Arkansas on Thursday, reconnecting homes and businesses that lost power when the remnants of Hurricane Gustav lashed the state with high winds and nearly a foot of rain.

Entergy Arkansas on Thursday morning restored power to about a third of the 95,000 customers who were without electric service a day earlier. Work advanced slowly because of continued high winds, downed power lines and flooded roads, company spokesman James Thompson said. As of 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Entergy Arkansas had about 60,000 customers without power.

There are 49 shelters in 24 counties that are housing more than 2,800 evacuees, in addition to the shelter at Fort Chaffee, which has about 2,300 evacuees.

As Arkansas deals with assisting evacuees, it's also dealing with what's left of Gustav.

Bismarck recorded 11.5 inches of rain through late-morning Thursday and Hot Springs had 11. More than 10 inches fell at Benton, Jacksonville and Moro Bay.

At Hampton, three people were safely evacuated from their residences to stay with family, he said. Damage was reported to parked cars and power lines from falling tree limbs, but no major injuries were reported, he said.

Steve Bays, hydrologist for the National Weather Service in North Little Rock, said the Ouachita River below Garland County would flood because of releases from Remmel Dam. Arkadelphia would be among the places affected, he said. But Bays said the main concern was flooding where motorists would be in danger at low water crossings, especially after dark.

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