Tornadoes raked Lafayette area

• By RICHARD BURGESS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: May 17, 2008 - Page: 1BA - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — The National Weather Service has confirmed that at least two tornadoes touched down in Acadiana on Thursday — one in Lafayette’s Oil Center district and the other near Maurice.

Weather service meteorologists were on the ground Friday assessing damage throughout the region to investigate reports of more than nine tornadoes.

The weather service confirmed that a tornado was to blame for the downed power lines, broken windows and ripped roofs in the Oil Center, a commercial district near the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

The tornado struck about 6:40 a.m., was on the ground for one mile and was about 100 yards wide, according to the a report from the National Weather Service.

The service also confirmed that a tornado touched down about 6:15 a.m. in a rural area 4 miles west of Maurice, near the intersection of La. 92 and La. 343.

The twister was on the ground for about 2 miles and was 25 yards wide, according to the weather service.

The Maurice tornado downed trees and caused minor wind damage to outbuildings.

The Oil Center twister blew roofs off some buildings in the in the Lafayette General Medical Center complex and caused roof and window damage at several other businesses.

The weather service had not confirmed a tornado in Scott, where several homes were damaged, or in the Breaux Bridge area, which felt the brunt of Thursday’s storms.

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office reported three homes destroyed, three businesses destroyed and more than 40 homes and businesses with damage.

St. Martin Parish President Guy Cormier said meteorologists with the National Weather Service first discounted the idea that a tornado struck near Breaux Bridge but are expected to reconsider that assessment after observing the damage.

“At first they said high wind, but then they said we will take another look,” he said.

Cormier said he observed from a helicopter that the damage appeared to be confined to a narrow path.