High winds from Hurricane Rita buffeted area counties Friday andSaturday, downing trees and power lines but causing little otherreported damage, officials said.

“We’ve had some trees down and power outages,” saidBrookhaven-Lincoln County Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey.”It’s from the wind, not any tornadoes.”

Galey said trees already weakened from Hurricane Katrina weremore susceptible to falling. Those contributed to power outagesthroughout the area.

“With the wind and the rain, we’ve had trees down on lines allday long,” said Lucy Shell, member services director for MagnoliaElectric Power Association.

Shell also reported some instances of broken utility poles. Atthe highest point around noon Saturday, she said approximately4,000 members were without power.

Around 6 p.m. Saturday, Shell said 2,000 members remained poweracross the EPA’s service area. After working until midnight Fridayto restore power of members, crews resumed work this morning andwere continuing restoration efforts, she said.

Shell said customers may report outages by calling 601-833-7011or 601-684-4011. Lines are being manned 24 hours a day.

Kenny Goza, customer accounts manager for Entergy, said as manyat 700 Lincoln County customers were without power at one pointSaturday.

“It’s just been scattered all day long,” Goza said. “McComb washit more than we were.”

Goza said power was gradually coming back on.

“We’re trying to work them as quickly as we can,” Goza said.

Wesson Police Office Chad Sills said the town had some limbsdown.

“Other than that, we didn’t have any problems,” Sills said.

Being on the eastern side of the hurricane, tornadoes have beena prime concern for emergency management officials. After severaltornado warnings during the day, Galey said Lincoln County and muchof the state remained under a tornado watch into the nightSaturday.

“We’ve had tornadoes popping up all over the state,” said Galey,although he reported none in Lincoln County.

In other hurricane-related happenings, the population at localAmerican Red Cross shelters swelled as Louisiana and Texasresidents fled the storm.

Galey said the shelter at Macedonia Baptist Church opened Fridayand over 625 residents were staying at five shelters late Saturday.The total had been around 700 earlier in the day.

“We had a few that left,” Galey said.

In comparison, four shelters Thursday were housing around 250people who remained after coming to Brookhaven due to HurricaneKatrina.

Galey said motels and area campgrounds were also full.

“I’ve seen campers sitting all over town,” he said.

Galey said the weekend had gone “pretty smooth” so far, but hewarned of more potential threats Sunday. He said some forecastspredict Rita will continue to around Little Rock, Ark., and thenturn eastward.

“We could be under the gun like this again all day tomorrow,”Galey said.

In Lawrence County, Assistant Fire Chief Hugh Summers said nomajor damage was reported Saturday. The only reports received bythe civil defense office were of downed trees that “probably didn’tquite get taken down by Katrina.”