Cleanup starts in LaPlace after tornado rips city apart

Greg Bellanger nails a tarp in place with help from co-workers Gilbert Ortiz, above, and Darren Miller, at right, after a tornado ripped through the area the day before in LaPlace, La., Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. Tornadoes and severe weather ripped through the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, mangling trailers at an RV park, ripping off roofs from buildings and killing several people in Louisiana and Mississippi, authorities said. (AP Photo/Max Becherer) Greg Bellanger nails a tarp in place with help from co-workers Gilbert Ortiz, above, and Darren Miller, at right, after a tornado ripped through the area the day before in LaPlace, La., Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. Tornadoes and severe weather ripped through the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, mangling trailers at an RV park, ripping off roofs from buildings and killing several people in Louisiana and Mississippi, authorities said. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)

By Associated Press February 24, 2016 1 min read

LAPLACE, La. (AP) – The hum of chain saws and generators could be heard throughout neighborhoods in LaPlace, Louisiana, where residents are cleaning up after a tornado ripped up trees, tore roofs from houses and terrified those who lived there.

Residents scrambled Wednesday to cover holes in roofs with plastic sheeting and board up shattered windows. Officials say more than 200 houses were damaged by the twister, one of up to 24 estimated to have hit the Gulf Coast region Tuesday.

Gerry Deloume and her family spent the day sifting through the wreckage trying to find anything they could salvage. Deloume says she suspects they’ll have to tear down and start over – again.

She said they evacuated during Hurricane Isaac. But they rebuilt and three years ago, moved back in.