At least two people were killed, several were hospitalized and several homes and businesses were destroyed after severe storms in parts of the Gulf Coast.
Jose Higareda, 28, died in Palmetto, Louisiana, where a tornado destroyed at least six homes and two trailers on Saturday morning, reports KSLA-TV, a subsidiary of CBS News. The national weather service confirmed that an EF3 tornado with an estimated peak wind of 140 km / h hit the area.
The president of the St. Landry township Jessie Bellard said seven others were injured, five of whom were discharged from hospital and are returning home.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by this storm,” Bellard said in a press release. “We are doing everything we can to help those families.”
Layne Herpin of the St. Landry Parish Government.
In Shreveport, Louisiana, a 48-year-old man died Friday after a tree fell on his garage, where strong winds were reported in the area at the time, according to the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office. The city has been under a flood warning since Saturday night and residents are advised not to drive vehicles through flooded areas or near riverbanks.
In parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi, flood, hail and thunderstorm warnings have also been issued, affecting nearly 6 million people.
Tens of thousands in the region have also reported power outages since Friday night.
“It’s going to take a while before they get it back,” Bellard said. He said that St. Landry Parish power companies are currently repairing outages and clearing debris.
According to the National Weather Service, conditions in northwest and west-central Arkansas as well as eastern Oklahoma will improve early Saturday night.