Northeast Louisiana is thawing out from last week’s ice storm. Now, the daunting task of recovery is getting underway. In Monroe, Mayor Friday Ellis says the destruction rivals that caused by Hurricane Laura in 2020.
“Tree limbs everywhere. You’re talking 100-plus-year-old Live Oaks just completely destroyed to the ground,” Ellis said.
Mayor Ellis says when you drive around Monroe, the city looks like a war zone.
“It is downed power lines everywhere. It is trees, laid in your streets and in front of your yards; and driving around, it feels like Hurricane cleanup,” Ellis noted.
The damage is not just limited to what you can see outside. With many losing power for days on end, they were left with refrigerators full of spoiled food. Ellis says that’s been keeping the local food bank very busy.
“There is traffic, backed all the way up and down the interstate, of people coming from far and wide to restock the refrigerators that have lost so much in spoiled food,” Ellis explained.
Ellis says the damage is so widespread, it will cost about $15 million just in debris removal.