Tuesday’s storms packed a powerful punch damaging homes and businesses. On Wednesday, many people were busy cleaning up. “Obviously if there’s a dangerous situation taking place due to a tree, then do let us know,” says Kevin Blanchard the Director of  Lafayette Consolidated Public Works.

The aftermath of a gusty wind driven storm can be difficult to manage. The storm that ripped through Acadiana brought powerful winds on Tuesday.

In Broussard, a tree fell through the roof of a East Main Street business. Green Leaf Tree Service was called to haul it away. “We are trying to get to the emergency work first.  Trying to get people’s lives back to normal as fast as possible then we worry about the other dangerous things like overhanging limbs that are broken and trees,” says owner Jeremy Frederick.

In Lafayette, reportedly lighting struck a tree causing a broken branch to land on a power line. The Director of Lafayette Consolidated Public Works Kevin Blanchard says safety comes first with clearing public streets and removing toppled trees. “If you have downed branches in your yard, then go ahead and collect that yard waste and put it on the curb,” adds Blanchard.

Blanchard says what doesn’t go curbside is debris collected by a company contracted by the property owner to do the work. Contractors are fully aware they are responsible for trashing what they gather. “The volume of yard waste that is out there is already difficult to keep up with.  Adding commercial yard waste is too much for the system to handle,” explains Blanchard.

“The problem is that the ground is saturated and with the high winds pushing on taller trees that is where we are getting the problem,” says Frederick.