Tornado outbreaks cause destruction, deaths

Trailers toppled over and were ripped apart, while mangled cars and shoes, pillows and mattresses were scattered across the park, according to photos from the scene.

St. James Parish Sheriff Willie Martin says three people are still missing and he hopes to locate them Wednesday.

The storms Wednesday claimed at least a half-dozen lives, three of them in the tiny town of Waverly, Virginia, where a 2-year-old child and two men, ages 50 and 26, were killed during the storm, said Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller.

Many schools in other parts of southeastern Louisiana also canceled classes Tuesday; the New Orleans Times-Picayune has a complete list.

Anaya said she could not confirm a twister, although the county was under a tornado warning when the damage occurred.

“This is one of our bigger outbreaks we’ve ever had”, said Ken Graham, meteorologist in charge for the service’s office in Slidell, Louisiana.

Several reported tornadoes left damage in southeastern Louisiana late Tuesday morning, and the threat continued into the afternoon in that area.

One of the most hard-hit areas appeared to be a recreational vehicle park in the town of Convent, in southern Louisiana.

An all-night search of the RV park found no additional injuries or fatalities, the sheriff said. More than 300 people live in the trailer park, though it’s not clear how many were home at the time.

Briaxton Lott, 23, was in the trailer park when the tornado hit. The storm was so severe that she and several others pulled over at Home Depot, which was closed because of the weather.

A deputy sheriff held reporters at bay as the family members left the meeting. Ryan Portish told CNN affiliate WVUE from St. James Parish, Louisiana.

A tornado slashed northeast through the La.

In Paincourtville, the wind downed a water tower, he said.

Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency early Tuesday evening as the storm systems approached Alabama.

About a quarter-mile as the crow flies from the La. As many as 200 homes in the area were damaged Tuesday.

When he came to, he saw the mobile home was flattened. “You’re sitting there one minute playing video games and the next thing you know, your house is gone – within 10 minutes”.

That number includes the one in Convent and near Purvis, Mississippi, he said. Save for a little wet grass, the Flemings’ Virgin Mary statue stood tall and encased in a brick housing in their front yard.

A possible tornado ripped through the city Tuesday evening, snapping trees, downing power lines and destroying at least 24 units at The Moorings apartment complex. No major injuries were reported. The Red Cross has taken over assisting those still in need, county officials said. That tornado caused property damage and injuries.

In South Carolina, a man died on Wednesday when he was struck by a falling tree.

“I’m just a little nervous and jittery, but overall I’m OK”, Williams said.

The Weather Service says thunderstorm wind gusts could be on the upper end of what is typically experienced in the area – with wind gusts of 70 to as much as 100 miles per hour that could produce damage similar to a tornado. He says the door was heaving and he could hear tree limbs beating on it. Tampa to Baltimore could experience damaging winds.

“So I was right there when it went through”.

Sunny skies will be with us for Saturday and Sunday with highs in the lower 50s on Saturday and into the lower 60s for Sunday.

A cluster of businesses on either side of Airline, near its intersection with La.

No other deaths have been reported in the Carolinas from the strong storms.