SEVERE STORM ALERT Severe weather sweeps across the central United States (II)

Storm damage was reported from Texas to Florida.

Emergency services were assessing damage from a “possible tornado” near St. Augustine, Florida, Thursday afternoon. 

Photos shared by St. Johns County firefighters show fences torn down, but there were no immediate reports of serious injuries following the possible tornado that touched down in that area shortly before noon Thursday.

A tornado struck Slidell, about 50 kilometers northeast of New Orleans, on Wednesday. It tore the roofs off buildings and partially collapsed others in this town of around 28,000 inhabitants and its surroundings. Authorities said first responders had to rescue people trapped in an apartment building.

Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer estimated during a news conference Wednesday evening that about 75 homes and businesses were damaged. St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said hundreds of other homes were damaged outside the city.

Police videos show tree branches littering streets and flooded yards that resemble swamps. Outside a McDonald's restaurant, a car was on its side, utility poles were leaning and large pieces of the brand's golden arches were strewn about.

No deaths or serious injuries have been reported in Slidell. The weather service posted on social media Wednesday that initial investigations indicate the area was hit by an EF-1 tornado, with winds of 140 kilometers per hour to 175 kilometers per hour.

Nearly eight inches of rain fell in parts of New Orleans. This came as the system of pipes and pumps that drains the city was experiencing problems with its power generation system, forcing workers to divert electricity as needed.

“During intense rains, the mission sometimes shifts from keeping streets dry to draining them as quickly as possible,” the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board said in a statement.

A woman died in central Mississippi following a power outage that caused her oxygen machine to shut down, authorities say. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said 72 homes were damaged.

In Texas, several people were rescued from their homes and vehicles early Wednesday when flooding hit parts of Jasper County near the Louisiana border