But he urged residents to remain vigilant and sheltered as long as the winds and rain bands were lashing New Orleans. "We fully expect people to stay inside and not impede any efforts by our first responders," Berni said. Entergy Corp. and Cleco Corp. said the 708,000 customers without power included more than 400,000 in the metro New Orleans area, including 47,000 in St. Tammany Parish. More than 83,000 were without power in East Baton Rouge Parish. "Isaac is testing everyone's patience with its slow movement through south Louisiana," said Bill Mohl, Entergy Louisiana, LLC president and CEO. "We are ready to mount a counterattack to Isaac's onslaught just as soon as the weather conditions allow us to do so." Though Isaac wasn't packing Katrina's punch, evacuations were mandatory in about a half-dozen parishes. Coastal communities were largely abandoned after evacuation orders. Houma, an oil patch community about 30 miles inland, was in darkness after power failed.