Calcasieu Parish deputies have received several calls of apparent tornado damage after severe weather moved through the area on Wednesday, including a tornado that touched down around 12:20 p.m. in the area of Hemlock and Ham Reid Roads.
The National Weather Service said Wednesday night that preliminary results from the storm survey indicate an EF-2 (130 mph winds) touched down west of Elliott Road and traveled east. The tornado caused "significant structural damage" to around 12 homes and minor damage to several more in the neighborhood.
According to the NWS, reports from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office indicate a woman was injured when a window was blown into her home; another suffered a leg injury as a result of blowing debris.
Deputies have completed door-to-door checks in the area; CPSO will be conducting extra patrols throughout the night in the areas damaged by the storms.
Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said the vast majority of weather damage occurred outside the Lake Charles city limits. Some damage was reported inside the city, but "not on the scale we are seeing in unincorporated areas."
Gov. Edwards will travel to Lake Charles Thursday to assess damage from the severe weather. He's set to hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m.
Drone footage courtesy of KPLC shows the extent of damage in the area of Hemlock and Ham Reid:
Viewer submitted photos of homes in the neighborhood:
Walters tells KATC that the above photo shows damage to his neighbor's home, which also sustained damage from Hurricane Laura, a roof leak during Hurricane Delta, and flooding during the May severe weather.
Photos shared by KPLC in Lake Charles show damage to a few homes:
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