This was Brenan’s email to me this morning before the storm hit.
Hey mom, it was so good to read all the emails you all sent, i liked how it was in one that is cool, but its good to here from everyone, i will have to answer all the questions you all have, and make sure i respond to everyone tomorrow but for today have a great day! I’ll talk to you tomorrow, we are all brothers and sisters. love you
Elder B. Corbin
I received a call tonight at 6pm from the Relief Society in Brenan’s ward in Monroe. She said that Brenan will possibly not be able to write his email tomorrow. He wanted her to call me so that I wouldn’t worry. Brenan and his companion were caught in the torrential rain on their bikes. The went back to their apartment for safety. They had no power so they changed their clothes and headed to the church house. Their they went and helped clear the roads with chain saws and moving trees out of the road. He is okay, it has been quite the adventure for him and his companion. The Zone leaders are in Jackson for a training but Brenan is handling the load. I did not get a chance to talk to him, but i know he’s fine enough to worry about me not receiving his letter. HaHa, he’s worried about that, yikes! I’m worried about him. I know he is in good hands and good spirits. Hence, I don’t mind about the absent email. He’s helping the city get back to normal. Love to all of You! Keep him in your prayers! Love, Joni
Thought to be tornado
Don Wheeler, dean of technology, math and science at Louisiana Delta Community College said he watched the weather radar Monday morning as a tornadic cell hopscotched across Ouachita Parish.
“It stayed on the radar off and on – disappearing and then coming back again,” he said. “When it came over Monroe it had a very well defined signature on the radar.”
Wheeler said that the tornadic activity was difficult to detect within the thunderstorm.
“It creates a very difficult situation to see the tornado coming,” Wheeler said.
Although the National Weather Service will be the entity that will officially decide whether the storm that moved across northeastern Louisiana was indeed a tornado or if it was straight line winds, Wheeler said he believes it was.
The National Weather Service is expected to assess the damage on Tuesday.
Wheeler said if in fact the storm was a tornado, it dispels the long-held belief that a tornado has never hit the metropolitan area of Monroe.
He said it also dispels the myth that a tornado will not cross a river.
A tornado reportedly touched down near Bawcomville.
Strong thunderstorms moved through northeast Louisiana Monday morning and caused significant damage in West Monroe.
Reports of several tornado warnings were issued in the area throughout the morning, and strong winds caused widespread outages that left more than 39,000 people in the dark in Ouachita Parish.
Power lines and hotel signs were downed, and an 18-wheeler was overturned during the worst of the fierce weather.
KNOE-TV reports gridlock in Monroe along with storm damage, widespread power outages and damage to trees and limbs. The Monroe station experienced a power outage and staff were forced to take shelter during a tornado warning earlier this morning.
There is no word on injuries yet.
Elder Brenan Corbin 