Winter Storm Hits US, At Least Three Killed in Louisiana

By Staff, Agencies

A vast and volatile storm system ripping across the United States has killed at least three people in Louisiana.

Several injuries were reported around the southeastern state by authorities and more than 40,000 power outages statewide as of Wednesday night.

The system spun off a suspected tornado that killed a woman in southeast Louisiana’s St Charles Parish and another that pummeled parts of New Orleans and neighboring Jefferson and St Bernard parishes.

The storm barreled eastwards after killing a woman and her son in the northwestern part of the state on Tuesday.

A tornado struck New Iberia, Louisiana, slightly injuring five people and smashing out windows of a building at Iberia Medical Center, the hospital said.

As night drew on, tornado threats eased in Mississippi, although some counties in Florida and Alabama remained under a severe weather threat.

New Orleans emergency director Collin Arnold said businesses and residences in the city suffered significant wind damage, largely on the Mississippi River’s west bank.