SLIDELL.-Intense storms blamed for the death of one person in Mississippi generated a tornado that destroyed buildings in a Louisiana city on Wednesday and flooded streets in New Orleans with a long rain that paralyzed traffic and overloaded its antiquated drainage.
The bad weather spread across much of the Gulf of Mexico region, with reports of damage from Texas to the northwestern panhandle of Florida.
More than 30,000 homes and businesses were without power Wednesday night in Tammany Parish, Louisiana, where a tornado struck the city of Slidell, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of New Orleans. The tornado tore roofs off buildings and caused partial collapses in others in and around the town, which has about 28,000 inhabitants. Emergency personnel had to rescue people who were trapped in a residential building that suffered serious damage, according to authorities.
At an evening news conference, Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer estimated that about 75 homes and businesses were damaged in the city. District President Mike Cooper said assessments were still being carried out, but according to his estimates, hundreds of homes were damaged on the outskirts.
Police video showed streets covered with tree branches and waterlogged yards that resembled Louisiana swamps. Outside a McDonald’s restaurant, a vehicle was overturned, light poles were leaning and the restaurant’s recognizable golden arches were battered.
“I have never talked to God so much before in my life,” said Robin Marquez after taking shelter with other co-workers in a two-story building that lost its roof and suffered extensive damage to the walls.
There were no reports of deaths or serious injuries in Slidell. The National Weather Service posted on social media Wednesday that, according to an initial review of the damage, the area was hit by a Category EF-1 tornado, with winds between 138 km/h (86 mph) and 177 km/h (110 mph). More evaluations are planned to confirm the magnitude and track of the tornado.
Source: With information from AP
