Alabama Power crews are heading west to assist communities affected by Hurricane Delta, which made landfall Friday evening near Creole, Louisiana. The Category 2 hurricane is the second strong hurricane to hit the Texas-Louisiana coastline in six weeks, bringing strong winds and severe flooding.

More than 70 Alabama Power team members from across the state, including line crews and support personnel, are traveling west Monday to support utilities in Texas. The company also released contract crews to aid in restoration.

“We’re sending our Alabama Power storm team crews to provide assistance to those impacted,” said company spokesperson Danielle Kimbrough. “Through mutual assistance, we’re able to deliver the type of service our customers know and trust to those in need following severe weather.”

As of  2 p.m. Sunday, more than 374,000 customers were without power in Texas and Louisiana, according to tracking website poweroutage.us.

Alabama Power assisting utilities in wake of Hurricane Delta from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Delta is the latest hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast, following Hurricane Sally, which battered the Alabama and Florida coastline in September.

During this record-setting storm season, Alabama Power crews spent 17 days away from home assisting Louisiana and Texas utilities with restoration following Hurricane Laura, which brought severe flooding and damaging winds.

In August, company crews assisted communities in New Jersey following Tropical Storm Isaias and towns in Illinois, including Chicago, affected by a damaging derecho wind event. Under longstanding mutual assistance agreements, Alabama Power provides resources when they are not needed at home to other investor-owned utilities.

Alabama Power customers should always be aware of the potential for severe weather and have their storm-readiness plans in place beforehand. Learn more about how to prepare at alabamapower.com/storm.