Ouachita Parish kicks cleanup into high gear

The sound of power tools erupted in the Garden District on Saturday as chainsaws and leaf blowers signaled that Ouachita Parish had turned a corner after two tornadoes caused widespread damage Monday.

All throughout Ouachita Parish, people picked up branches and debris from their yards. Blue plastic was a common sight, covering gaping holes in roofs.

Saturday was cleaning day, even as the National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes struck the parish as part of a dangerous storm Monday.

Earlier in the week, the weather service confirmed an EF-2 tornado blew through West Monroe and then Monroe, uprooting trees and damaging buildings in its path.

Mario Valverde, the meteorologist in charge at the Shreveport office of the weather service, said Saturday a second tornado touched down Monday nine miles southwest of West Monroe. He described the tornado as an EF-1 with winds of 90-100 mph. Valverde said the tornado's path was about eight-tenths of a mile in length with a maximum width of 200 yards.

The tornado was responsible for the destruction in an isolated neighborhood off Caples Road.

Entergy had been working since Monday to restore power throughout the parish. On Monday, as many as 38,000 people were without power. On Saturday, the company announced service to all homes capable of taking power was restored.

In the Tanglewood subdivision, Police Juror Pat Moore said piece-by-piece, the neighborhood is being restored, thanks to the help of residents and several local churches.

"Most of the trees on the houses have been removed," she said. "Right now, it's just getting people to settle down. They've been through a lot."

Residents of Monroe's Garden District were overjoyed late Friday night as power was restored.

Michael Thompson said he was excited when he realized the power was back on.

"We got power at about 8:40 Friday night," he said. "There was a lot of cheering up and down the street."

Just a few blocks over, Jason Strader said the restoration of power woke his family up when the entire house lit up.

"I was so excited," he said. "It has been fun with the family hanging out there. We stayed here the whole time with candlelight."

Thompson said he rushed home Monday after his wife called him about the storm.

"I got home about 30 minutes after the tornado came through," he said. "I immediately put on a slicker suit, got a chainsaw and we started working to get people in and out of their houses."

Thompson said he's been happy with how residents have supported one another.

"We really came together," he said. "It's been something good that's come out of something bad."

Volunteering hasn't only been prevalent in Tanglewood and the Garden District, but throughout the parish.

A group of students from West Ouachita High School got together Saturday morning and volunteered to help clean up debris left in the wake of the second tornado.

"We went out early this morning and helped a family in need," said Tonya Ballard, a parent who helped organize the volunteer efforts. "It was bad near our high school, and so we decided to get our students involved with it. We asked if they would be willing to come out and help this family.

"It was a combination of (learning experiences and an opportunity to help for the students). They got a great blessing out of helping others. They were happy to do it while they were there. They never stopped."

Strader said he was pleased with not only the work of volunteers and residents of his neighborhood, but with the work of Entergy as well.

"I know it has taken a long time, but there's a lot of damage," he said. "I'm just happy they're out here working late and doing their thing."

Thompson said he was pleased with not just Entergy, but the city of Monroe and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

"Entergy has done an outstanding job," he said. "They said they'd have power on by Friday and they met the deadline.

"The city of Monroe has done a good job as well. They've helped clean up as much as they can, as quick as they can."

Thompson said he is ready for things to go back to normal, but he knows it will take a long time.

"Things are coming back, but it's going to be a long time before everything's back right again," he said. "This neighborhood, obviously, will never look the same. At least, not for a long time."

Moore said a lot of work has been done, but a lot more is needed.

"We've still got a long way to go," she said. "But we have come a long way as well."

Follow KalebCausey on Twitter @Kaleb_Causey.