3 dead as tornadoes batter Louisiana 

Three people have died in Louisiana as tornadoes hit the state, sweeping in as part of a storm system battering the country and surging into the Southeast.  

Just outside New Orleans, St. Charles Parish confirmed one fatality. In northern Louisiana, a mother and son were found dead after a storm destroyed their home.  

Dozens of other Louisianans have reportedly been injured throughout the state, and some remain in the hospital with what Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) called “significant injuries.” 

Edwards said at a Wednesday night press conference that the state has seen significant loss of homes and infrastructure as the tornadoes tear through houses, hospitals and other buildings. 

“There’s never a good time for [this], but here we are, close to Christmas, and it has been especially dispiriting for some people to be going through this right now,” Edwards said.

Dozens of tornadoes have been reported from East Texas to Florida in the last week, and damage to affected states like Louisiana has been significant.  

The storm comes a little over a year after Hurricane Ida ravaged the state. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.