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Severe Storms Cause Death and Damage In Texas and Louisiana

Crews work to repair downed power lines in Upshur County, Texas after a tornado moved through the area late Monday, 03.21.22.
Courtesy: Upshur Electric Cooperative
Crews work to repair downed power lines in Upshur County, Texas after a tornado moved through the area late Monday, 03.21.22.

SEVERE WEATHER - A tornado tore through parts of New Orleans and its suburbs Tuesday night, flipping cars, ripping roofs off homes and killing at least one person in a region that was pummeled by Hurricane Katrina 17 years ago. Parts of St. Bernard Parish, which borders New Orleans to the southeast, appeared to take the brunt of the weather’s fury, and that is where the so far single fatality occurred. St. Bernard Parish officials gave no details on how the person died; they said multiple other people were injured. The damage comes after other tornadoes spawned by the same storm system hit parts of Texas and Oklahoma.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a state disaster declaration for 16 counties affected by the tornadoes and other severe weather that hit North and Central Texas.

“The counties of Bastrop, Cass, Cooke, Grayson, Guadalupe, Houston, Jack, Madison, Marion, Montague, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Upshur, Williamson, and Wise,” Abbott said.

National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a map showing the tracking of two tornadoes that touched down in East Texas on 03.21.22.
NWS Shreveport
National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a map showing the tracking of two tornadoes that touched down in East Texas on 03.21.22.

The Texas Governor spoke Tuesday after surveying the damage in Jacksboro in North Texas —one of the hardest-hit areas. The National Weather Service is still assessing how many tornadoes touched down in Texas. Meanwhile, emergency managers say a tornado in North Texas killed a 73-year-old woman. Across the state, some injuries have been reported, and multiple homes, businesses, and schools were damaged as well. The National Weather Service is investigating damage from a possible tornado in Nacogdoches County in East Texas. The County Sheriff’s Office reports some houses were damaged between the Sacul and Cushing area. Cleanup efforts were underway late yesterday afternoon. No deaths nor injuries have been reported for that area.

The National Weather Service in New Orleans released a map with preliminary findings regarding tornado damage that occurred on 03.22.22,
Courtesy of NWS New Orleans
The National Weather Service in New Orleans released a map with preliminary findings regarding tornado damage that occurred on 03.22.22,

Further north in Upshur County, people are still cleaning up after a tornado struck south of Gilmer, Texas. Preliminary reports from the National Weather Service indicate the tornado was rated EF-2 with 130 mph winds. No fatalities or injuries have been reported. The track of the tornado started just northeast of Tyler, Texas, and continued to the Northeast past Lake of the Pines and into Upshur and Cass counties.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.