MIAMI, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Lili came back to life and regained tropical storm status Friday as it tracked west-northwest 155 miles south-southeast of Jamaica with 45 mph winds, the National Hurricane Center said.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for Jamaica, and residents along the southern coast of Haiti, the Cayman Islands and Cuba were urged to watch the system closely.
At 5 p.m. EDT, the center of tropical storm Lili was located near latitude 16.9 north, longitude 75.2 west, or about 125 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
Lili is moving west-northwest near 7 mph.
"This motion could bring the center of Lili near or over Jamaica tonight or on Saturday," forecaster Jack Beven said.
He said slow strengthening is forecast through Saturday.
Meanwhile, Isidore moved through Tennessee and toward the north after making landfall near New Orleans Thursday.
Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster has requested federal disaster aid in the wake of Isidore's passage through his state. He estimated that state and local governments have spent at least $18 million and the state's sugar-cane crop has sustained $3.7 million in damage.
A disaster declaration would mean federal aid for individuals and families, Small Business Administration loans, temporary housing, disaster unemployment assistance and crisis counseling. The aid is being sought for 22 parishes along the coast.
Most of the 95,000 utility customers who lost power when the storm passed through the area had their power back Friday. Up to 16 inches of rain was recorded in southeast Louisiana and an estimated 2,000 homes flooded. No deaths were reported.
"Right now we are in the process of cleaning and recovering from the tropical storm," said Soraya Flores in the New Orleans emergency preparedness office. "We have a beautiful, sunny day, but a little windy. We are glad it's all over."
The pumps that remove water from low-lying New Orleans worked properly during the storm and all highways and streets were open Friday. Most of the floodgates that protect the city from high water were open again as officials assessed any damage.
Homeowners were pulling soaked sheetrock and carpeting from homes in the Palm Lake subdivision Friday at Slidell, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Isidore's gusty winds unexpectedly pushed huge waves from the lake into nearly 300 homes Thursday, leaving up to 5 feet of water standing in some of the upscale waterfront houses.
"The water is flowing back in the lakes and bayous now," said police Lt. Rob Callahan. "By Saturday, the streets should all be cleared. It's going to be difficult for these people though."
Callahan, who was helped with the cleanup, said the high water also sent snakes and alligators looking for higher ground.
"It wasn't uncommon that I was out in the water up to my chest helping rescue dogs and cats and there would be an alligator watching," he said.
Four houses were also flooded in an adjoining subdivision when a raised railroad bed that separataed the two developments began leaking, Callahan said.
Mississippi also received plenty of heavy rain -- 12 inches on the coast and 5-10 inches inland, and there was extensive flood damage to roads and homes.
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove toured the area with Federal Emergency Management officials to assess the damage.
Musgrove said after the tlour with FEMA director Joe Allbaugh he expects to ask the federal government to help. Officials said a damage estimate is being prepared.
In northern Mississippi, farmers complained that the heavy rain played havoc with the cotton and corn harvests.
Alabama also received a foot of rain on the coast, but not as much inland.
In the Florida Panhandle, power was restored to 50,000 customers by Friday. Twenty-eight homes in southwest Escambia County and northern Santa Rosa County were severely damaged mostly by flooding.
Several roads were buried by water and sand, and workers were digging out. But there were no reports of deaths or serious injuries in Florida.
Rabun, Ga., along with Habersham County got heavy squalls knocking trees down and power lines Thursday night and Friday morning. The Carolinas also reported downed trees and power lines, which caused power failures.
In Tennessee, Nashville received a welcome six inches of rain Friday and three inches fell in Memphis.
Hurricane Kyle continued to ply the Atlantic Ocean 450 miles south-southeast of Bermuda with top sustained winds of 80 mph.
At 5.m., Kyle was located near latitude 26.9 north, longitude 60.9 west. It was moving west-southwest at 3 mph.
