Three have died from tornadoes across Louisiana
Published 8:45 am Thursday, December 15, 2022
- This was a scene in New Iberia. Photo courtesy Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office.
There were 42 tornadoes reported across Louisiana on Wednesday, including New Iberia.
In New Iberia, there were injuries, but no deaths reported.
However, there were three other deaths in the state reported.
The Louisiana Department of Health said a deadly tornado in St. Charles Parish sent a woman one street over and her son into the woods near their home.
The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office said Yoshiko Smith, 30, of Keithville was found under debris while her son, Nikolus Little, 8, was found in a wooded area.
The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office pronounced them dead at the scene and the Louisiana Department of Health said the cause of death was blunt force trauma.
A 56-year-old woman died in St. Charles Parish on Wednesday night. The Louisiana Department of Health said the tornado destroyed her home in the Killona area.
The Weather Channel said the Daily Iberian reported a tornado touchdown midday Wednesday in Iberia Parish. They also had tornado reports in Jefferson Parish in the afternoon that tracked from Gretna into the Algiers area of New Orleans and across the Mississippi River to the Lower 9th Ward and upper St. Bernard Parish.
The National Weather Service reported six possible tornadoes Tuesday night in Caddo, Union, Rapides, Madison, East Carroll and Franklin parishes. Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency and was traveling to northwest Louisiana to visit damaged areas.
The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) is asking anyone who sustained damage from the storms to file a report at damage.la.gov. Reporting damage to GOHSEP is voluntary but does not replace filing an insurance claim.
“It is important for everyone to understand the threat is not over,” GOHSEP Director Casey Tingle said in a statement. “… That line, which may include additional wind and tornado threats, may not clear the state until Wednesday evening. We urge everyone to remain weather aware and stay informed. Limit travel if road conditions become dangerous. Look for potential messaging from the National Weather Service, your local media or your local emergency managers.”
The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) is asking anyone who sustained damage from the storms to file a report at damage.la.gov. Reporting damage to GOHSEP is voluntary but does not replace filing an insurance claim.
“It is important for everyone to understand the threat is not over,” GOHSEP Director Casey Tingle said in a statement. “… That line, which may include additional wind and tornado threats, may not clear the state until Wednesday evening. We urge everyone to remain weather aware and stay informed. Limit travel if road conditions become dangerous. Look for potential messaging from the National Weather Service, your local media or your local emergency managers.”
(The Louisiana Illuminator contributed to this report)