Residents in Gramercy are assessing the damage after a "possible tornado" touched down last night, causing extensive damage to homes and leaving many without power. WWL-TV Louisiana reported that the hardest-hit neighborhood was around N. Airline Ave. off of LA-3125. First responders, including the Gramercy Police Department, went door to door checking on residents shortly after the storm, which was reported to have occurred around 5:30 p.m. According to Gramercy Police Chief Dustin Jenkins, no injuries have been reported at this time.
Assistant Chief Jody Ordeneaux of the Gramercy Police Department relayed to WDSU that several structures sustained damage, including fences, roofs, and an overturned RV behind Taylor's Express on La-3125. In a conversation disrupted by the storm, over 1,000 people were without power in Gramercy and Garyville due to downed power lines.
St. James Parish Director of Emergency Management Eric Deroche indicated that there was damage in other areas like Paulina and Lutcher, but it paled in comparison to what Gramercy suffered. He stated that it had been "a couple of years" since the area had experienced damage from a storm of this caliber. The National Weather Service usually releases tornado confirmations within 24 hours after the damage has been reported, and as such, a confirmation on whether this was a tornado may be pending according to information by WWL-TV Louisiana.
Residents such as Larry Knight detailed their harrowing experiences, "We got an alert on our alarm system, and we went to go look outside in the yard, and I saw it coming," Knight told WWL-TV Louisiana. "I tell my fiancee, ‘hit the floor,’ and next thing you know it blows my daughter's window out." Knight also reported part of his roof being lifted off, and various damage to his neighbors' properties, including a trampoline thrown into a pool and holes in a roof. Along with these personal accounts, photos showed large debris scattered around the neighborhood, including pieces of siding bent over power lines.
The aftermath of the storm saw emergency response teams from the St. James Parish Sheriff's Office, the St. James Volunteer Fire Department, the Town of Gramercy, and other emergency crews responding to assist. Entergy Louisiana officials, who were working to restore electricity to the affected areas, said that the entire subdivision had been without power immediately after the storm struck around 6 p.m., reported WAFB. By late yesterday, only two outages were still indicated in the neighborhood as the power began to be restored.
