Detroiters pick up the pieces after EF-2 tornado tears through city's east side

Cleanup is underway across Detroit's east side after an EF-2 tornado left behind downed trees, scattered debris and damage across the city.

Crews are working to clear streets and make sure roads are safe as inspections and damage assessments continue. For some Detroit residents, the cleanup is also a community effort.

Helen Allen, 81, spent Friday outside with friends cleaning up her street.

"All those branches over there, so we put them in a pile," Allen explained as she pointed across the street.

Allen and her friends also worked to clear a street drain and shovel dirt while helping clean up the neighborhood.

"Be proud of where you are and where you live," Allen said.

Allen said she has been without power since Thursday afternoon.

While the outage has given her some extra time to work in her garden, she said she has learned a lesson from the experience.

She plans to buy a generator so she is prepared if the power goes out again.

"I'm going to get a generator as soon as I can get to one," Allen chuckled. "So whenever my power goes out again, I'll have a generator."

DTE Energy said power restoration will happen in stages as crews work across the electrical grid.

The city says crews will continue working through the weekend to clear streets and remove debris.

Inspections and damage assessments are also expected to continue as officials work to determine the full extent of the tornado damage.