Bunkie still cleaning up from Jan. 2 storm

GARLAND FORMAN
Co-Editor
2017 began with a bang in Bunkie -- literally -- as Force One tornado touched down in town on Jan. 2, toppling trees and damaging buildings.
City employees did not have time to catch their breath from cleaning up after the twister before a strong cold front came in on Jan. 6, causing more problems.
The icy weather was more of an aggravation than a threat, but the F1 tornado packed winds of up to 110 mph as it slammed into Bunkie and then skipped over to Hessmer and Marksville before leaving the area and heading east.
“We were lucky that no one was hurt during the storm last week in Bunkie,” Mayor Mike Robertson said on Monday. “Clean up is extensive and still on-going. I think it will take at least three weeks to get completely cleaned up.”
Most of the tornado-related damage to buiildings was in southwest Bunkie, Robertson noted. There was some damage on the eastside.
The windstorm downed trees and scattered limbs and other debris across the city, he added.
Joey Frank, parish Office of Emergency Preparedness director and Bunkie fire chief, said the storm damaged about 50 buildings.
Avoyelleshas applied for federal disaster assistance, but Frank said the parish probably will not meet the $9.3 million threshold for damages to qualify for the FEMA aid.
A strong cold front blew into the parish on Friday and decided to stay the weekend, dreopping temperatures into the low 20s.
A mix of sleet, freezing rain and snow glazed city streets, but there were no road closures or reports of serious problems. Even the U.S. Hwy 71 overpass in Bunkie -- which is prone to icing over in such weather -- remained open.
Robertson said the only reported problems around town were of homes with broken pipes. The city water system had no problems, he added.

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