New Orleans residents can return immediately, Mayor Nagin says

"We opened up the checkpoints," Nagin said during a television interview this morning. "So now, anyone who has an ID, you're going to be clear to go to your homes."

Long lines of frustrated motorists had been building this morning north of the city on Interstate 10 as residents of neighboring Jefferson Parish and other suburban enclaves pressed to return home two days after Hurricane Gustav swept west of New Orleans. The city was largely spared from heavy flooding and wind damage from the storm.

The decisions made by other parish officials to open their borders today accelerated the city's decision to move quickly, Nagin said.

"Some of the parish leaders were really anxious to get people back in," he said.

Despite opening the city's borders, Nagin warned that its fragile infrastructure was still not ready to support a massive influx of nearly 200,000 residents who fled over the weekend.

"My big concern is public safety. We don't have the hospital situation straightened out," he said, referring to the lack of power at medical facilities.

Restoring power after widespread blackouts remained "a lot more challenging that we all realized," he added.

At least 18,000 infirm and elderly residents who were evacuated by bus and train may take longer to be repatriated, Nagin said, adding that Louisiana officials had assured him that they would be brought back within the next several days.

Motorists who did not have city identification were still being turned away, Nagin said. A curfew remained in effect, but he said residents returning at night would still be allowed in.

He said the police would be flexible with Tampa Bay Buccaneer football fans streaming into the city for Sunday's opening game at the Superdome with the New Orleans Saints.

Nagin alluded to the intense pressure he was under from other parishes and his own residents.

"Well, that's part of dealing with an emergency," he said. "You have to be firm but be flexible as the situation changes."

Nagin said he conferred by phone Monday with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and won his commitment to press for a speedy declaration of New Orleans as a disaster area.

Chertoff also agreed to provide federal helicopters to power utility officials today so they could mount a citywide assessment of power failures, Nagin said.

President Bush left the White House this morning to fly to Baton Rouge to inspect the operations command center where federal, state and local officials were coordinating the recovery from Hurricane Gustav.

david.zucchino@latimes.com

richard.fausset@latimes.com

Times staff writer Erika Hayasaki contributed to this report.