As of the last count, there were only minor injuries, but trees and power lines were devastated throughout the area. When firefighters arrived at Claiborne and Ursulines Avenue about nine minutes later, they found the rear of a two-story building on the lot had collapsed. Six buildings at last count were damaged in this latest New Orleans storm. Officials said two people were brought to the hospital with minor injuries.
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The hurricane was one of the five deadliest natural disasters in the history of the United States, and the most costly, with $108 billion in damages and around 1,800 deaths, while the eighty percent of New Orleans flooded.
It looks like the tornado and the severe weather event was pretty dramatic.
Aaron Miller, of the city’s homeland security office, told reporters at the scene of one collapse that at least two of the fallen buildings were abandoned and slated for demolition.
Police said there were four scenes of buildings down and officials were consulting with the National Weather Service to determine if a tornado struck the area. While a funnel cloud had been spotted in the area, meteorologist in charge Kenneth Graham said radar images appeared to show a “textbook” case of a so-called “downburst” rather than a tornado. The building came down (and) he was right there lying next to the auto buried under the debris.
Jim Farrell, who lives in the neighborhood, says that building debris got swept up in the swirling winds.
“It’s just unbelievable, it’s pretty wonderful”, said Mayor Mitch Landrieu.
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It’s a sight many in New Orleans had never seen.
