TORNADO AFTERMATH IN THE SOUTH - Forecasters have found at least 18 tornado paths from an outbreak of deadly weather in the South. National Weather Service teams surveyed the damage Tuesday, one day after the storm outbreak. The agency says it has confirmed multiple twisters in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The storms killed four people, including one person who died after heavy rains caused flooding in Kentucky. A husband and wife died in Alabama, and a woman was killed when a tornado hit her home in Vernon Parish Louisiana. The Storm Prediction Center logged more than three dozen reports of storm damage from east Texas to Georgia.
While surveying the damage in and around Rapides Parish yesterday – Governor John Bel Edwards took a moment to explain to members of the media as to the extent of tornado damage that struck the area Monday.
"Most of the damage is here in Rapides parish, approximately 100 homes have been impacted, 10 practically destroyed, another 40 seriously damaged," explained Edwards. "Others range from serious damage to light damage."
Three schools were impacted by the storm --Mabel Brasher Elementary School, For My Child Learning Center, and Hope Baptist School which was heavily damaged but only minor injuries were reported to which Edwards credits the quick actions taken by teachers and students when a tornado approached.
Students from in front of the school and taken to the main sanctuary and were actually instructed to get under the pews for their protection," Edwards said. "There was only one minor injury which when you put that into perspective, if you see the damage done to that school you'll know how many children and faculty members were there you would know that is a tremendous blessing."
The National Weather Service has sent teams out to determine if more than one tornado occurred along a reported 63 mile long trail of damage stretching from DeRidder to Pineville.
WEBSTER PARISH TORNADO - Further North in Webster Parish – an EF-1 Tornado has been confirmed to have struck causing widespread damage to trees, powerlines and some homes and buildings. One person was reported injured when their mobile home was damaged.
