Updated, 4:55 p.m. Wednesday

Southport Subdivision along Montaingne Street was among the biggest victims of the Wednesday afternoon tornado that touched down in New Iberia.

The New Iberia Police Department is only allowing residents to enter the subdivision, according to a post on its Facebook page. A nighttime curfew has also been issued.

“Effective from 8:00 p.m. tonight until 5:00 a.m. on December 15, 2022, a curfew will be in place,” according to the post. “Traffic entering the neighborhood will be restricted to only residents returning from work, or emergencies. The curfew is only for the Southport Subdivision.”

Power lines were dangling or down all along Admiral Doyle Drive along with a one utility pole that fell completely down near the subdivision.

“The rain wasn’t bad, but the wind was really bad,” one Southport resident shortly after the storm had passed.

New Iberia Fire Chief Gordon Copell said the department had been focusing mostly in the Southport area, where he estimated about 10 mobile homes that had been destroyed or were in need of repairs, as well as three or four apartment buildings that had sustained substantial roof damage or other attacks.

The subdivision is without power and will remain so until a main power line that runs in the back end of Southport is repaired. Copell said one power line in particular is leaning heavily from its original position.

Most residents in the area had fled before the tornado had begun in full. Copell said that one female was in need of rescue after her mobile home was overturned, but received help and was transported to a local hospital.

“When chaos like this hits, things turn sideways really fast,” Copell said. “We did searches to make sure everyone had gotten out.”

Copell said Red Cross, Catholic Charities and other aid organizations will be coordinating with the response team in order to assist residents who suffered property damage during the weather event.