NEW ORLEANS -- The assessment of Hurricane Gustav's damage to New Orleans has only just begun, KPRC Local 2 reported Tuesday.

City streets were covered with debris that will have to be cleared to make way for repair crews to restore power.

About 300,000 households do not have electricity -- just a fraction of the power problem confronting the state.

"This morning, we don't have it broken down by region, but this morning we're reporting 1.4 million households in Louisiana without power," Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said. "So, obviously, a huge challenge as we try to get critical services back up. We're trying to get hospitals, fire, sewer, water, back up."

Power must be restored before millions of Louisiana residents now scattered to shelters across the country can return.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said that may not happen for several days.

Meantime, the city's levees are holding. On Monday, a breach in an earthen levee southeast of New Orleans sparked an evacuation order. It was shored up and held overnight.

Water also topped New Orleans' industrial canal, but didn't breach the levee protecting the city’s upper ninth ward.

City officials reported that water levels in the canals have been dropping and relieving pressure on the levees.