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2 confirmed dead, 30 hurt after tornado rips through St. James Parish RV park

8 years 7 months 3 weeks ago Tuesday, February 23 2016 Feb 23, 2016 February 23, 2016 9:32 PM February 23, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ

CONVENT - Two people have been confirmed dead and 30 people were injured at the scene of a trailer park in St. James Parish that was hit by a tornado Tuesday afternoon.

The manager of the Sugar Hill RV Park confirmed that hundreds of trailers were damaged during the tornado, and many people have been seriously injured. The local sheriff's office confirmed that two people were killed. 

Sheriff Willy Martin said 7 people are in critical condition and an unknown number of people are missing. 

Tuesday night, Governor John Bel Edwards visited the area.  

"It's a jumbled mess," he said of the scene.  "It's a minor miracle only two people died."  

Emergency responders worked overnight Tuesday searching through the flipped trailers to make sure that everyone who was in the park at the time of the severe weather has been rescued.

Authorities said Lutcher Senior Center will be operating as a temporary shelter for those affected by the storm.  The Red Cross also set up a shelter in St. John the Baptist Parish at Emily C. Watkins School in Laplace

Martin said 160 small trailers were damaged. 300 people usually reside there, but there is no official word on how many were on site at the time of the storm.

Eighteen people were taken to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge.  It was unclear where the remaining 12 were hospitalized.  

If you live there or can account for the whereabouts of someone who lives there, please call 225-562-2364.

Residents can sign up to have notifications from St. James Parish Government sent to their home phone, mobile device and/or email by visiting the homepage of the Parish's website at www.stjamesla.com and clicking the link under the "Emergency Info” section.

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