The 1964 Larose tornado was a powerful tornado that formed and dissipated on Larose, Louisiana. The strongest tornado from Hurricane Hilda, it touched down of October 3, 1964, on 6:30 a.m., CST. It was designated as an F4 tornado on the Fujita scale, before dissipating just right after. The tornado killed 22 people, with 165 injuries. Damage totaled to $2.5 million (1964 USD). The tornado was featured in the Life Magazine and caused the construction of a chapel.
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 3, 1964, 6:30 a.m., CST |
| Dissipated | October 3, 1964, 6:30 a.m., CST |
| F4 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 22 |
| Injuries | 165 |
| Damage | $2.5 million (1964 USD) |
| [1] | |
Part of the Hurricane Hilda tornado outbreak | |
Meteorological synopsis
editBackground
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On September 28, 1964, Hurricane Hilda formed as a depression south of Cuba. Tracking northwest, it strengthened into tropical storm intensity the next day. On September 30, it intensified into a minor hurricane after high pressure affected the storm. In the next 30 hours, rapid intensification was observed, making landfall over Louisiana on October 3 as a category 2 hurricane, with peaks up to category 4. After making landfall, cold air caused the system to dissipate the next day. Just after the landfall of Hilda, a tornado spawned at around 6:30 a.m. CST.[2] The tornado was rated as F4 in the Fujita scale.[1]
Track
editThe tornado touched down lightly near Bayou Lafourche, crossing west. It dipped, then lifted up again. It followed a 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) long track.[1]
Impact and casualties
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Because of Hurricane Hilda, 450 people evacuated to Larose, with an additional 50 residents.[3] When the tornado neared Louisiana Highway 1, it destroyed cars and damaged houses. Worst-hit areas had most homes flattened, with approximately three to four houses still having their shells.[1] Residents experienced windows breaking. With one house floating above utility lines. Citizens recall the house "exploding in the air".[3] Debris went as far as Coteau Bourgeois, which was 16 mi (26 km) away from Larose. Most deaths were due to enclosure in people's homes as the houses collapsed.[1] A total of 22 people was killed and 200 were injured because of the tornado, with one family having 10 deaths.[3]
Response
editAfter the tornado, citizens helped rescue operations, digging soil to try to find other residents, and helping them go inside ambulances.[3] The event appeared in the October 16, 1964, edition of Life Magazine. It also caused a chapel to be built by one of the affected citizens.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information". National Climatic Data Center-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ "Hurricane Hilda 1964". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ a b c d "Residents in Lafourche Parish remember F-4 tornado of 1964". WAFB-9. 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ Stoute, Geoff (2023-08-29). "Chapel for victims of 1964 tornado under construction". The Lafourche Gazette. Retrieved 2024-12-01.