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Severe storms displace families, leave one dead

Posted at 11:43 AM, May 19, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-19 12:43:24-04

The severe weather that plowed through Acadiana Sunday night left at least one person dead.

One person died after a home was blown off its piers and flipped into some mobile homes near Prudence Highway near Church Point in Acadia Parish. Sheriff KP Gibson says nine others were injured.

Ashley Leblanc, Acadia Parish's director of Emergency Preparedness, said at least six residents in that area sustained major damage from the storm. Another home, near Beau Road, sustained severe damage after a tree hit it, she said.

The Red Cross has reached out to those families to help them with any shelter needs they have, Leblanc said. If any other families are displaced because of the storm, they should call the Red Cross 1 (800) 733-2767 for assistance, she added.

There were several other homes in the Church Point area that sustained moderate to minor damage, but nothing reported that displaced families, she said. And, a farmer reported damage to trucks and rice vans off St. Margaret, she added.

The parish is working with state agencies to try to help with clean-up efforts near Prudence Highway.

Evangeline reported trees down in areas across the parish. The worst of the damage was in Mamou - where high winds or tornados have hit the town three weeks in a row.

Mamou Mayor Ricky Fontenot said that, once again, the town endured tree damage and roof damage, but no injuries.

"No injuries, for the third week in a row," the mayor said. "That's a blessing we are happy to have. We're blessed again."

Fontenot said there's a lot of debris to clean up, and the town is hoping for some financial support from either state or federal officials. He said they're also hoping that there won't be another storm this week.

We checked with St. Landry Parish officials, and they say no major damage or injuries were reported related to Sunday night's storm.