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State of emergency in Louisiana after tornadoes

Posted at 3:04 PM, Feb 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-07 16:39:39-05

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  —  Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency for Louisiana after a severe storm moved across the state’s southeast corner, including the parishes of Ascension, Livingston, Orleans, St. James, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa.

Edwards says he’s heartbroken to see Louisiana families suffering again. Much of the worst damage is in eastern New Orleans, part of the 9th Ward that was so heavily flooded by Hurricane Katrina.

He says the state is “working tirelessly to ensure that every citizen affected by this storm receives the resources they need as quickly as possible.”

Edwards did an aerial tour of the damage and planned to join Mayor Mitch Landrieu and other city officials for a news conference.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says there are initial reports of dozens of minor injuries and two more serious injuries. A spokesman for the Emergency Medical Service described most of those injured Tuesday as “walking wounded,” with minor cuts and scrapes.

This is a developing story