.One day after an EF-3 tornado ripped through New Orleans East, the neighborhood is buzzing with activity.The tornado cut a two-mile swath through one neighborhood leveling some homes, ripping off roofs and siding, and scattering debris in 110 miles per hour winds.People are trying to figure out what lies ahead.It is estimated 250 homes sustained major damage.Entergy says that just over 4,000 customers do not have power.In New Orleans East Wednesday, residents are returning to their tornado-ravaged homes to begin cleaning up.As the sun rose over Hickerson Street more and more people came back to the neighborhood to sift through what's left of their personal belongings.
Some are finding everything destroyed."This is gone now, I gotta start all over I guess,” said 83-year-old Charles Harleaux."Harleaux rode out the storm in his kitchen.There are many similar stories of survival.Another elderly couple sought refuge in a hallway a few streets away.Carol Adams said they spent the morning on the phone with their insurance company, who advised them to drag debris to their curb.But with debris everywhere in their yard, that will be a difficult task.
They say very little can be salvaged with the exception of their granddaughter’s belongings."Believe it or not one room that my granddaughter stays in, was never touched,” Adams said. “The wind just went on by."Entergy crews and crews from Texas are in the area picking up power lines that cross streets and litter yards.Some residents wasted no time getting to work. Roofing contractors and insurance adjusters are already canvassing this block getting down to business.Some of the survival stories from the storm are nothing short of incredible.
A father and his son made it out of their small house unscathed even though their roof tore off in the storm.An elderly woman on the second floor of her home survived despite the roof and walls around her being torn to shreds.Those in the neighborhood are thankful to have survived and are determined to move forward as the cleanup begins.“Looks like we're about to have the roofer come out here and give us an estimate of how much it is to fix the roof,” said tornado victim Howard Rodgers. “Just truly a blessing nobody was hurt through this whole storm. That's all we can say.”Although there were some injuries, no casualties are reported.