NEW ORLEANS — Terry Johnson owns a strip of businesses in Algiers along General Meyer.
“It sound like a train come through here," Johnson said.
Johnson is counting his blessing after a tornado wreaked havoc in Algiers.
“They have people around there that lost their whole house. So I can’t cry about it you know," Johnson said.
Instead, he's doing what he can to help crews working to restore power.
“Looks like they’re pretty much doing all they can do. That’s why we’re feeding them you know. We have free chicken out before it goes bad," Johnson said.
Another business in the strip is We Cuts Up Barber Shop.
Owner, Charlie Jones, described what he saw after the storm.
“Chaos. It looked like a bomb hit this place," Jones said, “You know we are just glad to be alive.”
Johnson said he made repairs to the roof after Hurricane Ida, only to have it damaged once again.
“We don’t have any roof in the back," Johnson said.
Rain soaked the businesses overnight.
“We’ve been here for like almost 18 years in this spot a lot of sentimental value stuff that we’ll possibly have to throw away," Jones said.
In the back, the Eric Handley's body shop had several car windows that were blown out and shattered.
“You know people depend on me, and I appreciate their business and I got to fix them," Handley said, “All we got to do now is just cleanup and get back to work.”
These business owners are focused on what lies ahead, instead of the storm behind them.
“I’m going to try to help as much as I can, but right now the thing is to try to rebuild. Let’s look forward and put this thing behind us and prepare for the next one because I’m pretty sure something else is going to come," Johnson said.
If you're an Algiers resident in need of assistance, an emergency resource center is setup at the Morris F.X. Jeff Park on General Meyer Avenue and Shirley Drive. Charging stations, water and food are available.
Entergy was working to restore power to the Algiers area.
City officials said in a press conference early Thursday morning that they hope to have electricity back on by 10PM Thursday.