Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 17 december 2019

In this Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 photo, officials respond to the
scene of a mercury spill on the intersection of Westview Drive
and West Sam Houston Parkway North.
Associated Press
FBI: 19-year-old This photo shows some damage by a tornado in Alexandria, La., Monday, Dec. 16, 2019.

arrested, charged in Louisiana: Apparent twister Associated Press

Houston mercury spill destroys buildings, 1 dead

HOUSTON (AP) — A 19-year- gency Management
old man has been arrested spokesman Cory Stottle- By JAY REEVES and JANET siana, about 200 miles (320 er would continue into the
after mercury was found myer said that in order to McCONNAUGHEY kilometers) northwest of night as a cold front mixed
spilled in Houston, leading be decontaminated, peo- Strong storms moving New Orleans, a sheriff's of- with warmer air.
dozens of people to be ple had to remove their across the Deep South ficial said the storm left About 20,000 homes and
decontaminated as a pre- clothes and shoes and killed at least one person roads impassable, peeled businesses were without
caution, FBI said Monday. take a shower on site. They Monday and left a trail of the roof off of a church power in Louisiana and Mis-
The agency's Houston of- were then given clothing to smashed buildings, splin- and destroyed a car lot. sissippi, and outages could
fice said on Twitter that leave in. tered trees and downed "As of right now we've had spread as storms moved
Christopher Lee Melder has The fire chief added that power lines the week be- people trapped. I don't eastward.
been charged with bur- one woman was taken to fore Christmas. have any reported injuries," Tornado watches extend-
glary and unlawful disposal a hospital as a precaution Forecasters issued multi- said Capt. Phillip Jordan ed from the Gulf Coast as
of hazardous material. He because she was preg- ple tornado warnings and of the Rapides Parish Sher- far north as southern Ten-
is also charged on an out- nant. some cities opened shelters iff's Office. Meteorologist nessee, and additional
standing felony drug pos- Police said it was unclear as a cold front collided with Donald Jones of the Na- watches and warnings
session warrant. when the toxic metal was warmer air over northern tional Weather Service of- were likely.
It wasn't immediately spilled. Gulf Coast states. The Na- fice in Lake Charles said it School systems in Ala-
known whether he had Authorities also said they're tional Weather Service said appeared the twister that bama, Louisiana and Mis-
a lawyer and authorities looking into reports that the threat could last over- hit in Alexandria also struck sissippi dismissed students
didn't immediately say if someone checked into night into Tuesday. the town of DeRidder on early and canceled after-
the spills were intentional. a hospital Friday in Harris One person died when an a path that was an "abso- noon events and activities
City officials said, accord- County, where Houston is apparent tornado struck lutely ridiculous" at 63 miles as a precaution because
ing to the FBI, he he took located, claiming to have a small residential area in (101 kilometers) long. of the weather threat.
the mercury from a lab he been exposed to mercury. Vernon Parish, Louisiana, "I don't know what our re- Forecasters said tornadoes,
broke into. The lab's loca- According to the Centers but details were not im- cords for the longest total hail and winds blowing at
tion hasn't been released. for Disease Control and mediately available, said in this area is, but that's got 70 mph (115 kph) posed
Someone called 911 Prevention, mercury exists Chief Deputy Calvin Turner. to be pretty damn close to the greatest threat as a
around 11:15 a.m. Sunday in three forms. Elemental Officials feared others it," he said. cold front moved across
to report a white liquid on mercury is liquid at room could be hurt in the area The Storm Prediction Cen- the region in an easterly
the ground, Houston Fire temperature. It is used in since crews were still try- ter reported two people direction. Storms could last
Chief Sam Pena has said. some thermometers, fluo- ing to reach hard-hit areas suffered minor injuries from until early Tuesday in the
Officials later determined rescent light bulbs and where downed trees and flying debris after storms eastern areas, forecasters
that less than a pint of electrical switches. High power lines blocked roads, moved into Mississippi, said.
mercury was spilled out- mercury vapor concen- he said. and multiple trees fell atop Tornadoes in December
side a Walmart, a Sonic trations can cause severe "We've got damage at homes and vehicles in Ed- aren't unusual.
Drive-In and gas station. lung damage, the CDC lots of places. We've got a wards, east of Vicksburg. Monday was the 19th an-
Officials said about 60 peo- said. church where the fellow- Schools were opened as niversary of a Southeastern
ple were found to have Dr. David Persse with the ship hall is torn all to pieces. shelters as forecasters be- tornado outbreak that pro-
trace amounts of mercury Houston Health Depart- Some homes are hit. Right gan issuing tornado warn- duced a twister that killed
contamination near their ment said that because now we're having trouble ings in north Alabama. 11 people in Tuscaloosa,
feet and shoes and were all three spills happened just getting to places be- There were no immediate Alabama. Storms on Dec.
decontaminated at the outdoors, the risk to people cause of trees that are reports of injuries there, but 1, 2018, spawned more
scene as a precaution. in the area was "extremely down," Turner said. the weather service said than two dozen tornadoes
Houston's Office of Emer- low."q In nearby Alexandria, Loui- the threat of severe weath- in the Midwest.q