Six people, including members of an eastern Sabine Parish family of five, were hurt when a tornado struck their community the morning of Sunday, Jan. 9, according to the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Shreveport office of the National Weather Service (NWS).
The family’s mobile home was destroyed by the tornado that, at times, was up to a half-mile wide.
The NWS office in Shreveport has rated the tornado as an EF-2, with winds estimated at around 125 mph.
Bryan Bridges says he and his wife were asleep in a room of their home that now has a gaping hole.
“I was still asleep; she never woke up,” he recalled. “… I got her out of the room and we headed down the hall to a safer room, and about three seconds later, the wall blew in.”
Bo Stewart says the sound reminded him of a jet engine.
“My wife woke me up. A hailstorm was beating the side of the house. I grabbed her. We laid under the stairs and just prayed to God,” he said.
At least 30 homes, five barns, two sets of chicken houses, and multiple sheds and vehicles were destroyed or damaged when the storm struck Peason, an unincorporated community off Highway 118, authorities say.
The former sawmill town is about 10 miles east-southeast of Florien and about 27 miles south-southwest of Natchitoches.
Fort Polk radar picked up a tornadic debris signature eight miles east of Florien in Sabine Parish at 4:53 a.m. Sunday, the NWS reports.
First responders are assisting victims with cleanup. Volunteers and equipment with the Shreveport Volunteer Network are also in the area. And the Sabine Parish Detention Center inmate litter crew is assisting with cutting and removing trees and debris.
Anyone wishing to donate items and anyone in the area who is in need can go to Pine Grove Baptist Church on Highway 118, the sheriff’s office reports. Those in need also can call the sheriff’s office at 318-256-9241 or call 318-315-0808, 318-379-8797, or 318-508-3843 “… and we can have items delivered to you,” the sheriff’s office says in a Facebook post.
“There has been an overwhelming and unbelievable amount of support from volunteers and neighbors helping neighbors today. The American Red Cross, U.S. Forest Service, and the National Weather Service [have] been in the area today assessing the damage… Sheriff [Aaron] Mitchell greatly thanks everyone who has volunteered and donated to help their neighbors during this difficult time.”
Sheriff’s deputies will continue to be in the impacted area over the next few days, the post says.
A GoFundMe campaign organized by Florien resident, Stormie Pilcher, also identifies the tornado victims as the Westfalls — Justin and Alesha and their children, 8-year-old Kaylee, and 3-year-old twins Connor and Carter, and has a goal of raising $10,000.
https://www.kplctv.com/2022/01/09/tornado-hits-peason-community-injuries-reported/
