By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The severe weather that blew through the St. John the Baptist Parish area this weekend produced a small tornado Saturday morning in the community of Lucy on the west bank of the Mississippi River, according to a report from the National Weather Service.

St. John Parish emergency management officials said the small tornado damaged roofs and knocked down fencing at three homes in a three-block radius but did not cause any serious injuries.

According to the weather service release the twister, which rated as an F-0 on the six-tiered Fujita Intesity Scale, was 100 yards long and 50 feet wide and produced winds between 40 and 72 mph. The tornado began as a water spout over the Mississippi River and crossed over a levee into Lucy around 7:10 a.m. Saturday.

St. John spokesman Buddy Boe said th parish mobilized Red Cross crews to assist affected families that needed temporary housing and food.

Aside from the tornado event Saturday, Boe said the parish received no reports of any major weather concerns related to the weekend’s storms. He said minor street flooding was reported in a few neighborhoods in LaPlace but said there were no calls concerning homes taking on water.