AP: Tornado Hits New Orleans Area, 1 Dead

[Hissyspit]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NEW_ORLEANS_TORNADO?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Feb 13, 1:13 PM EST
Tornado Hits New Orleans Area; 1 Dead

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A powerful storm and likely a tornado hit the New Orleans area early Tuesday, killing an elderly woman, injuring dozens of other people, and damaging dozens of homes and business in a region still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina.

An 85-year-old woman died in the city's Gentilly neighborhood, one of the areas hit hardest by Katrina 18 months earlier.

Another storm cell hit south-central Louisiana, damaging buildings in New Iberia and on the outskirts of Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish, but it did less damage and there were no reports of injuries.

In the New Orleans area, FEMA trailers were tossed around, homes collapsed, and the wind tore the roof off a hotel across the river in Westwego. At least 10 to 15 buildings were destroyed in New Orleans, said James Ross, a spokesman for Mayor Ray Nagin. Dozens of other homes and businesses were damaged in Westwego, Mayor Robert Billiot said. City and parish officials said about 30 people were injured.

"There is just so much destruction," Billiot said.

MORE

[FlaGranny]

1. Yes and that storm is now

on its way into Georgia and Florida. Severe weather warnings for the area in central Florida that was hit by the tornado a week or two ago.

[peacebird]

2. I had thought tornados were usually a summer phenomena?

is it usual for tornados to hit in the heart of winter?

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Usually they are.

Oddly enough, when my partner came here last January to interview, the city was hit with a tornado. The weather changed very suddenly here. It has been in the 40's and low 50's, then it jumped. It was a vicious storm. The oddest thing, and maybe someone can speak to this, I never heard thunder during the worst part of the storm. Lots, and I mean LOTS of lightning!!!

[Contrite]

16. That is strange.

Thunder is the "sound" produced by lightning (shock wave). Tornadoes are produced by thunderstorms.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061120231731AAiuAdG

http://www.learner.org/exhibits/weather/storms.html

[Behind the Aegis]

23. That's why I found it strange.

I spoke to a few neighbors who were saying the same thing. The only thing I can think of is that the lightning was so bad in the area that had the tornadoes (about 12 miles southwest and across the river) that I was seeing the residual lightning and that it wasn't localized in my area, but the rain and wind sure were!

I heard quite a bit of thunder when the storm started in my area about 12:30am, but by the time I went to my back porch (2:30am), I didn't hear a thing.

[pitohui]

20. i thought i heard thunder and/or a locomotive type sound

i honestly think i'm losing my mind, i don't think i can take much more of this

power off for 3 hours here, not a big deal considering but i'm just having more and more difficulty with this shit

p.s. thanks to all who offered the hearts, i'm a little shocked, considering how "crusty" i am

[Behind the Aegis]

24. stay strong!

We lost power for about 4 hours. Thankfully, we didn't have any damage. I have been seeing pics from the West Bank and am just shocked at the amount of damage that was done. After living in Oklahoma for 7 years, tornadoes are not all that new, the only difference is that in OK we at least had sirens to warn us that one was about to drop down on us.

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. Not really...

Gulf States, such as Mississippi and Louisiana are the frequent recipients of tornadoes from February to April.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/severeweather/tornadoes.html#history

[Warpy]

3. It seems like Mother Earth is trying to tell us something about

New Orleans. You know, something like "It's sinking due to your greed, so you'd better rebuild it elsewhere else."

My sympathy to the people who are still trying to rebuild there.

[Bluebear]

6. Tornado Rips Though New Orleans Area

NEW ORLEANS -- An apparent tornado ripped through the New Orleans area early Tuesday, ripping the roof off a hotel, knocking down power lines and injuring three people.

The storm, which hit around 3:30 a.m., tore the roof off a hotel in Westwego, which is across the river from the city, WDSU-TV reported.

At least three people were brought to a hospital.

Trailers were overturned in some areas and at least six homes collapsed, according to the station. In the city, the storm knocked down power lines and tree limbs and damaged roofs.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/13/AR2007021300206.html

(SwampRat is OK although he was nearby, we were chatting in GD as it happened)

[youngdem]

7. It's been fun here lately, I have to say

Jebus H Christ.

Got up around 3 to this. Second time since Katrina we have had tornadoes roll through the city. So far, only 7 injured, with only one transported (on the west bank) with over 50 structures damaged. The Mid-City tornado(s?) took out about 40 houses, at first glance. (I will be heading out today to take a look at the damage for work)

Insurance companies are already fleeing the city. We are gonna be self-insured before long.

[Robbien]

9. Isn't it weird

Is this the time of year for tornadoes and does Louisiana normally get many of them? I wouldn't think so.

[jus_the_facts]

10. We get many down here....

....it's not unusual at all.

[youngdem]

19. We get em all the time, but yes, this is the season.

This is spring, after all. (sadly)

[donsu]

13. read a report that said an elderly woman was killed

article was on bellsouth's home page

[pitohui]

22. it is true, she has died, on nola.com now also

she was rescued but died a few hours later

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Oh no

What a mess. Glad Swamp Rat is okay.

[soothsayer]

11. my friend is there building playgrounds w/ work

(fannie mae). hope she---and all of youse---stay safe!

[Anita Garcia]

12. Just awful!

Depressing.
No power, gas leaks, no school, no homes.
Watching the survivors (now two-timers) on TV is heartbreaking.

[uppityperson]

14. ah hell Anita and all.

Reading in NOLA about Raymond Simoneaux, his home collapsed after being 90% reconstructed after Katrina. Heartbreaking.

A local group (from here) of adults/teens flew to Bay St Louis yesterday to work with Habitat for a week. Bet they are getting an experience.

[Amused Musings]

15. the storm knocked out

my power all day until now

[Acadia Blue]

17. I am accross the lake and awakened with lots of thunder and heavy

rain and some weird loud noise.

[Amused Musings]

18. Yeah i woke up in the middle of the night

to crashing and banging. This morning I assumed it was just a "normal" black out and freaked out because my alarm clock was off and I was very late. Did not learn until later in the day that we were hit by a friggin tornado. I grew up in massachusetts and there was a tornado there too once! Both places I did not think were prone to tornado "attacks"

[pitohui]

21. okay so i'm not completely crazy

across the lake and i had the same experience, amazing how the sound carries from these

i also heard the tornado that hit lakeview last year from the same location

[Contrite]

25. That weird loud noise

was it like a locomotive? Cuz I was "in" a tornado zone once and that's what it sounded like to me.

[Contrite]

26. Ahem (clears throat)

Tin foil hat time:

I read the following on chemtrailcentral:

"The USAF sprayed the Gulf Coast yesterday that helped spawn the thunderstorms which spawned the tornados that killed people in Louisana last night."

[OKNancy]

27. kick

[T_i_B]

28. Katrina homeless hit by tornado

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6360501.stm

A tornado has ripped through the US city of New Orleans, damaging dozens of trailers housing people left homeless by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

An elderly woman died when her trailer slammed into her new newly-renovated home on Tuesday, reports say.

Some 30,000 homes were without power, as a state of emergency was declared.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said those who lost their trailers would be given another one or sent to a hotel.

[Wetzelbill]

29. wow that is pretty fucked up...

those poor people have nothing but bad luck. Damn, that is awful.

[HeeBGBz]

30. Yeah, yesterday morning was kind of wild

I was up by 4 am with my weather scanner. We has tornado activity a few mile north and one just east of my location. My co-worker had the roof torn off their well house and it slammed into their brand new double-wide and it broke out a window and took out the siding. Luckily, no one here was injured.