Update: 7:53 a.m. Thursday

In need of ice?

In an effort to support those affected by the storms this week, Super 1 Foods is giving away free ice (while supplies last) starting at 9 a.m. today, Dec. 15, at the store located at 939 S. Lewis St. in New Iberia.

Updated, 6:30 a.m. Thursday

Of the 293,807 customers of Cleco, the utility company is reporting 16 outages and 464 customers are still affected by the tornado.

Updated, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday:

Cleco is working to restore power to more than 1,000 New Iberia customers who suffered outages Wednesday. 

Outages have been reported along New Iberia’s southeast side, according to a map on Cleco’s website. At 4:30 p.m. the site estimated 1,259 customers were dark.

————

A tornado has flipped trailers, damaged apartment complexes and caused first responders to treat patients at NISH school for injuries as the IMC Main Campus was damaged as well.

Another heavy rainstorm is expected around 4 p.m.

Major damage took place near Montagne Street in New Iberia. Authorities are asking citizens to avoid the area of Southport in New Iberia and emergency crews crews are dealing with downed power lines and dangerous debris.

At 1 p.m., Iberia Medical Center announced they can take patients in the emergency room and you must enter through the emergency entrance.

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles said the tornado (which will be confirmed by officials) was moving at 40 miles per hour and warned of flying debris and mobile home damaged and destroyed.

There were a few serious injuries, officials told the Daily Iberian.

A warning went out for Northeastern Iberia Parish in south central Louisiana, Northwestern St. Mary Parish in south central Louisiana,  Southeastern St. Martin Parish in south central Louisiana, Franklin, Baldwin and Sorrel.

New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt went out and saw the damage as it happened. He was able to give a quick video interview to Michael Messerly of the Daily Iberian on the newspaper Facebook page from the emergency command center at New Iberia Senior High

“Montagne and Southport took a brunt of the damage, there were flipped trailers and damage to apartments complexes with the roof off,” DeCourt said. “There were some people trapped and the sheriff’s department and the police department and the fire department worked together, they searched all the residences, got a few people out. We were blessed, there doesn’t seem to be too many major injuries.”

DeCourt said other agencies have been notified.

“We are her at (NISH) senior high, we borrowed the boys’ gym, we are using that as a staging area,” he said, “IMC was hit pretty hard as well. We have people there and (when the tornado first happened) they are taking any patients because they had a lot of damage. We have notified the Red Cross and United Way.”

DeCourt was in emergency vehicles assessing the damage and he said there was damage around Teche Ridge with damage to offices and damage on Estate Drive heading to Loreauville.

“Watch where you are driving, there are a lot of downed power lines. There is another round of rain coming around four, so stay vigilant and watch the advisories,” he said.

DeCourt was also impressed with the response time and different agencies working together.

“The response time was really quick, when I heard about it, jumped in the Chief’s truck there were already multiple agencies on site,” he said. “It’s always a bad situation, but refreshing to see our crews working together as well as they do and to watch our first responders to pull together from various departments and agencies. Watching them work together is just good.”

IMC officials said, “At approximately 11 am, a tornado damaged part of the IMC Main Campus, medical office building and some ancillary buildings and structures. Currently, there are five individuals with very minor injuries being treated in the ER. All entrances to the Main Campus are currently closed. Everyone is being asked to enter the Main Campus through the emergency entrance only. The North Campus and Main Campus have full power, water pressure and are fully functional.”

If you have images of storm damage to share, please email them to mmesserly@daily-iberian.com OR send them to us via Facebook Messenger. You can also text images of storm damage to 337-784-1130. Click on the photos of this story to see a photo gallery by Sandy Bernard.

Video of Mayor Freddie McCourt’s interview: (LINK HERE)