ARABI, La. — Survey teams with the National Weather Service confirmed that the powerful tornado that devastated Arabi on Tuesday first spawned in Jefferson Parish before marking a 11 mile path of destruction.
Meteorologists say the twister first touched down around 7:21 p.m. south of Terrytown and moved northeast through the west bank causing minor tree and structural damage.
The NWS says video footage shared on social media showed the tornado crossing over the Mississippi River just before causing the most intense damage from the riverbank to the canal in Arabi, La.
"It was a very narrow, intense tornado with two areas of concentrated EF3 damage," the report says. "One was a house that was swept off its foundation with all walls of the roof destroyed. This is near where the one fatality occurred."
Connor Lambert, 25, was reportedly getting out of his truck and running to his porch when his home came apart in the tornado. His truck was wrapped around a nearby tree, and his body was later found in a neighbor's yard near the body of his pet Australian Shepherd.
Photos: Louisiana twister carved destruction in mere moments
Another home nearby was also swept from its foundation, moved and mostly destroyed. Meteorologists said the damage in that area is consistent with the 160 mph EF-3 rating for the tornado.
The tornado then damaged electrical towers on the bank of the canal before moving northeast across the canal. Damage was also reported on the other side of the Intracoastal Waterway in New Orleans East.
The NWS says its believed the tornado lifted before Joe W. Brown Memorial Park around 7:38 p.m.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.
