A Louisiana coroner is confirming the first known death from Hurricane Zeta, that of a 55-year-old man who was electrocuted by downed power lines.
Alyson Neel, a spokesperson with the Louisiana Department of Health, said the death was disclosed by the coroner for Orleans Parish on Wednesday night. The dead man’s name wasn’t immediately released by the coroner’s office and exact circumstances of the death were not immediately disclosed.
Tonight, @NewOrleansEMS responded to a fatal electrocution related to a downed power line. There are many hazards out there right now. Please continue to stay indoors. https://t.co/SFefKIt7YS
— NOLA Ready (@nolaready) October 29, 2020
The first fatality report came hours after Zeta howled ashore in southeast Louisiana as an unexpectedly strong Category 2 hurricane. Packing 110-mph (175-kph) winds, it was just 1 mph (1.6 kph) shy of a devastating Category 3 hurricane.
The extent of the disaster wasn’t immediately known after nightfall, though an official in one hard-hit parish reported multiple distress calls to emergency responders from people whose roofs were torn away.
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