Gulf Coast states pummeled with tornadoes, torrential rain, killing at least one

Tornadoes, flooding and hailstorms affected communities throughout the Gulf Coast and much of the South as a severe storm system moved from west to east Wednesday.

The massive storm system affected Gulf Coast areas from Texas to Florida and claimed at least one life and injured many more.

Two tornadoes were confirmed in Louisiana and another in Texas. One of the Louisiana tornadoes struck Slidell, which is about 30 miles from New Orleans and along the northeastern shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

The National Weather Service said that tornado was at least an EF-1, which has wind speeds of up to 110 mph.

An EF-2 tornado touched down in Lake Charles, and another EF-2 damaged homes and other structures in Port Arthur, Texas. An EF-2 tornado has wind speeds of between 111 and 135 mph.

The storm system downed several power lines while rain pummeled the area, forcing the rescue of at least 50 people, some of whom were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Metairie, La., recorded more than 5 inches of rainfall, and the National Weather Service says many areas on or near the Gulf Coast could see up to 2 inches of rainfall per hour, adding to the potential for localized flooding.

The Yazoo County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi warned residents in a subdivision earlier Wednesday to evacuate immediately due to the threat of a local levee giving way and possible flooding in the area.

A tornado watch continued through Wednesday for coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Panama City.