The remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur lashed parts of the southeastern United States with heavy rain and strong winds on Thursday, causing structural damage, flooding homes, and prompting water rescues along the Gulf Coast. Severe weather also impacted the Midwest, where a separate line of storms destroyed buildings and left tens of thousands without power.
Catastrophic Rainfall in Louisiana
Arthur, the first Atlantic tropical storm of the season, weakened quickly after forming but created dangerous conditions in Louisiana and Mississippi. In Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, over 2 feet of rain fell in 48 hours, with most of it on Thursday, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Donald Jones. The flooding affected at least 200 homes, said state Rep. Daryl Deshotel. Jones described the rainfall as catastrophic even by regional standards.
Mississippi Fatality and Evacuations
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves reported that a county road crew worker died Thursday night while assisting with storm cleanup in the southwestern part of the state; the cause was not disclosed. Thirty homes below the Anchor Lake dam in southern Mississippi were evacuated due to concerns that rising water could overwhelm spillways and compromise the dam. Residents were urged to seek higher ground.
Residents Describe Terrifying Storms
Coni Dubois of Houma, Louisiana, said several inches of water flooded her home overnight. Although she has endured many hurricanes, she had never experienced such intense thunder and lightning. She described the storm as sounding like hell broke open, with lightning and thunder so consistent that the house was lit up like daylight for 20 minutes. The National Guard and state wildlife officials assisted rescue crews.
The National Weather Service confirmed one tornado in Avoyelles Parish and three near New Orleans. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency for affected areas. The town of Cottonport shut off water service overnight to manage resources and urged residents to limit water use and fill containers beforehand.
Rescues and Animal Save
Cody Coco rescued stranded workers at his cypress sawmill in Avoyelles Parish, where water was waist deep. He also used a boat to save his four pigs, which were swimming out of their pen in murky water. Coco said the pigs were happy to see him and are now safe on higher ground. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno posted a video describing minor damage and cleanup efforts; police prepared boats and set up barricades in flood-prone areas, and sandbag distribution sites were opened.
In Avondale, a tornado destroyed four homes, injuring two people who were hospitalized and later released, said Jefferson Parish spokeswoman Rachel Strassel.
Midwest Storm Damage
The Midwest also faced severe damage from a strong line of storms. A tornado was reported Wednesday evening near Effingham, Illinois, causing several minor injuries. Fire Chief Brant Yochum said firefighters responded to damaged homes, collapsed structures, car crashes, downed power lines, gas leaks, and blocked roads. Marla Washburn and her husband took shelter in their basement in Blue Mound as a suspected tornado hit. Debris hit their house, and a school roof crashed into their home. Washburn said the whole house shook and the neighborhood looked like Armageddon, but they were unharmed.
