Tornado strikes Shreveport, La., area, storms also hit Texas, Oklahoma

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) - Several tornados toppled trees and utility poles and damaged numerous structures in northwest Louisiana Sunday night - critically injuring a woman whose house collapsed, authorities said.

Five injuries - four of them minor - were reported in a residential neighborhood south of the city where one funnel cloud reportedly hit, Caddo Parish Sheriff's spokesman Edward Vailes said.

A woman pulled from ruble at her collapsed home had to be revived en route to Willis Knighton South Hospital, where she was in critical condition, Vailes said. Her name and age were not immediately available.

''We've got extensive damage,'' Vailes said. ''We got hit north of town, downtown and south of town where all the injuries were.''

The storm knocked out power throughout the city, forcing law enforcement agencies to rely on backup power, Vailes said.

At least one of the funnel clouds touched down in the heart of the city, ripping up siding, shattering windows and scattering the broken glass.

''We've got lots of reports of broken glass downtown,'' Vailes said.

High winds also caused havoc on the roads, overturning an 18-wheeler and blowing recreational boats off trailers, Vailes said.

Thunderstorms, along with high wind and hail, also moved through eastern Texas and southeastern Oklahoma.

In Marshall, Texas, just across the state line from Shreveport, an apparent tornado cut a swath through a residential area, damaging several homes and businesses.

Buildings were damaged and trees and power lines were knocked down about 20 miles north in Cass County. No injuries were reported in either area.

Several houses were damaged in Hartshorne, Okla., when high winds and thunderstorms moved through the area. One woman was slightly injured.