Search and rescue teams deployed after tornado strikes New Orleans

A storm system that caused at least one reported death and widespread damage in Texas and Oklahoma on Monday shifted east and brought severe thunderstorms to the South on Tuesday — including a tornado that impacted parts of New Orleans previously damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

A large tornado touched down Tuesday evening in New Orleans, Louisiana, the National Weather Service said. Within 20 minutes, the tornado and storm had already moved east out of the city, although more tornadoes in the region were possible.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said there were no reports of casualties or significant damage to the Orleans Parish, but at least 8,000 customers had lost power in the storm. 

Arabi, Louisiana, located east of New Orleans along the Mississippi River, suffered “significant” damage, Accuweather said, with the New Orleans Fire Department requesting a “major EMS response” following the tornado amid reports of injuries and residents trapped. 

The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal sent staff to Arabi and other affected areas to conduct search and rescue operations. 

Parts of the St. Bernard Parish, southeast of New Orleans where Arabi is located, were heavily damaged by Katrina in 2005.

Reggie Ford was nearby when the tornado struck. He drove away from the area, only to return once it passed to offer help to anyone who needed it. So far, he said, the streets are eerily quiet, only filled with fresh devastation from the twister.

“I see downed power lines. A church is completely destroyed. Three businesses are completely destroyed. There are eight blocks of houses missing their roofs,” the New Orleans resident said. The video he posted on Instagram shows debris cluttered streets and shredded buildings. A battered car lies on its roof.

The President of the New Orleans City Council said power was out in 9th Ward and New Orleans East and that damage from the storm was still being assessed.