Tornado causes injuries, damage in Louisiana parish

A radar-confirmed tornado in northeastern Louisiana on Wednesday evening overturned trailers, downed trees and caused more damages as part of a midweek storm system.

The tornado passed through Tangipahoa Parish, La., about 65 miles northwest of New Orleans and 60 miles east of Baton Rouge. Coming early in the evening, the tornado quickly began tossing debris into the air, eventually overturning two mobile homes and injuring three people. None of the injuries, including to two children, were "life-threatening," according to local officials.

A tornado passed through Tangipahoa Parish, La., Wednesday evening. Photo via Matthew Payzant

According to Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller, other damage included trees downed across the parish, along with damage done to a local gas station. The mayor of the village of Tangipahoa, Sheila Martin, said power lines were also down in the area. Martin and her family took shelter in a bathroom during the tornado.

"Then we heard this loud noise, like a train ... like an extreme whistle," Martin told Fox 8 New Orleans. "We took cover."

The mayor said "everyone was safe" thus far and that no fatalities have been reported. She asked for prayers from neighboring cities, saying that damage in the area was "extensive."

AccuWeather national reporter Bill Wadell reported from Tangipahoa on Wednesday evening, adding that he saw glass windows blown out of homes and that first responders were going door-to-door, making sure residents were safe.

Official response came quickly after a radar-confirmed tornado hit Tangipahoa Parish, La., on Wednesday evening. Photo courtesy of Bill Wadell/Accu Weather

The tornado comes after AccuWeather meteorologists warned that the full spectrum of severe weather was likely with the storms in the lower Mississippi Valley. Aside from the tornado, multiple reports of flash flooding came in from the city of Jonesboro, Ark., located 70 miles northwest of Memphis.

Little severe weather is likely from the Appalachians to the southern Atlantic coast on Thursday.