March 24, 2022 | 4:18 p.m.
After a severe weather system moved through New Orleans and surrounding areas, many are working to recover from yet another devastating storm. Convoy of Hope is responding by providing emergency relief to communities in need of relief.
“A bomb looked like it had gone off,” Louisiana resident Amy Sims told Associated Press after a tornado tore through her neighborhood.
Early on Thursday, cleanup crews were hard at work to clear roads for homeowners to get in and out of their now-shredded neighborhoods. In some areas, the combination of downed power lines and leaking gas made for a particularly dangerous situation. Approximately 30,000 customers across Louisiana lost power.
Initial reports from the National Weather Service indicated that damage was caused by an EF-3 tornado with winds between 158 and 206 mph.
The New Orleans metro area sustained particularly heavy damage, though Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency across four parishes after the storm passed.
“Unfortunately, our people have become all too familiar with rebuilding after tragedy and loss,” the governor said. “But it is never easy.”
Convoy’s team members and partners are hard at work in the disaster zone, providing relief supplies to survivors of the storm. As people begin the process of recovery, Convoy of Hope will continue to distribute food, water, cleanup supplies, and other necessities.
Thank you for supporting Convoy of Hope as this response continues.
March 23, 2022 | 4:15 p.m.
The storm system that brought severe weather to Texas and Oklahoma on Monday continued to move east, spawning more tornadoes and dangerous conditions across Louisiana. Convoy of Hope’s response teams spread out across affected areas to better identify needs and distribute relief supplies.
“As predicted, this same storm system spawned multiple tornadoes across several states yesterday afternoon and evening,” said Stacy Lamb of Convoy’s Disaster Services team. “One tornado struck the southeast part of New Orleans, which is the area of the city affected by Katrina in 2005.”
Early Wednesday morning, members of Convoy’s Disaster Services team followed the storm’s path. They will continue to identify areas of greatest need as it travels east through Louisiana, where tornadic activity caused further damage Tuesday evening. Additionally, Convoy of Hope’s strategically-placed warehouse in Georgia provided quick access to the disaster zone.
“Our neighbor’s house is in the middle of the street right now,” Louisiana resident Michelle Malasovich told The Associated Press.
Many in Louisiana sustained damage after Hurricane Ida made landfall in August of 2021. Convoy of Hope is still serving these affected communities with long-term recovery efforts.
Stacey Mancuso, another tornado survivor from Louisiana, had recently completed repairs to her home after Hurricane Ida. Tuesday’s storm system marked the third time her home has sustained major damage since Hurricane Katrina.
“We’re alive. That’s what I can say at this point,” she said. “We still have four walls and part of a roof. I consider myself lucky.”
Thankfully, the overlap between Hurricane Ida and the recent storm system was minimal. Still, for many, Tuesday night’s severe weather brought back memories of past major weather events.
As needs become more apparent, Convoy will continue to provide hope and relief. Updates to this response will be posted here.
