PHILADELPHIA – Cleanup and recovery efforts are underway across Philadelphia as crews tackle storm damage at FDR Park, according to city officials. The Southeast Asian Market community at the park is asking for donations and support to help rebuild after losing inventory and equipment during the storm Saturday.
Crews continue clearing storm damage at FDR Park
What we know: Workers spent Monday breaking down a large tree that snapped and fell near the playground at FDR Park in South Philadelphia. Families watched as crews took on the job, with the sound of sawing filling the air.
Another crew focused on clearing the area where the Southeast Asian Market operates on weekends. Vendors say they lost much of their inventory, tents and equipment when the storm hit Saturday. Photos and videos were shared on the market’s Facebook page, and a vendor said they need help recovering. There is also a public plea for donations.
Ladonia Thomas, who visited the park with her husband and children, said, “I wasn’t expecting this at all and then came out here. I thought they were closed at first. This is pretty detrimental. This is a lot for a storm,” said Thomas.
Thomas said she was not surprised to hear how hard the market was hit, adding, “I thought it was a tornado really about to hit us,” said Thomas.
Families in the area are seeing the impact firsthand as crews continue to work.
Storm impact across Philadelphia neighborhoods
By the numbers:
The Office of Emergency Management received more than 100 submissions through the city’s online damage tracker, with well over half involving downed trees or utility wires, according to a city news release Monday afternoon.
PECO reported outages have dropped to 902 customers in Philadelphia as of Monday afternoon, down from nearly 27,000. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation reported about 340 tree emergency calls since Saturday, with 220 already inspected and removal in progress.
Smith said her Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood was hit hard, saying, “Every other block literally had big trees like this in the middle of the block,” said Smith.
The storm’s effects are being felt in neighborhoods across the city, with residents dealing with downed trees and power outages.
Residents whose property or homes sustained storm-related damage should complete the City’s online damage tracker at phila.gov/damagereporter.
What we don’t know:
It is not yet clear how long recovery efforts will take or when the Southeast Asian Market will be fully operational again.
Details about the total amount of damage and the full extent of losses for vendors have not been released.
The Source: Information from the City of Philadelphia, PECO, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and interviews with community members.
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