Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency in a handful of parishes after strong storms brought on flooding, and also left thousands of people without power.
Gov. Jindal said Assumption and Lafourche parishes have declared emergencies to help open response for storm cleanup; more counties could be brought under the declaration.
The rain started early in the day, knocking out power to as many as 200,000 homes and businesses at the height of the storm, according to The Associated Press.
Local storm reports showed winds gusting as high as 71 mph at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport as the storms passed through, just before 10:30 a.m. local time.
Around the same time is when six to eight freight containers fell off the Huey P. Long Bridge outside New Orleans. A WGNO TV crew recorded it as it happened. No one was hurt and the containers weren't carrying anything hazardous.
A tornado was reported by spotters in the Belle Chasse area, local storm reports said.
The National Weather Service said New Orleans saw 1.74 inches of rain, setting a new record for April 27.
Earlier in the morning, the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 were closed at Exit 127 due to a fallen tree brought down by the wind, according to the Department of Transportation.
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