Louisiana Tech Sports Facilities Damaged, School Closed After Overnight Tornado

Several of Louisiana Tech's sports facilities and fields were damaged early Thursday morning after a tornado hit the area and was responsible for the deaths of two people, according to ESPN.com. 

The school and athletic director Tommy McClelland provided updates Thursday on Twitter:

McClelland estimated the damages would cost the school "millions" of dollars, per Cory Diaz of the Monroe News Star.

"Baseball, softball, soccer [fields], tennis [courts], all of those are devastated," he added. "It's devastating. It's a total rebuild for us."

There were no injuries or deaths on Louisiana Tech's campus, though the school was shut down Thursday and Friday.

Alongside the damage done to the athletic facilities, "the tornado caused damage to buildings, vehicles, power lines and trees in Ruston. Mayor Ronny Walker said trees uprooted by the winds 'cut houses in half,' calling the damage 'unbelievable,'" per ESPN.

C.S. Ross of the National Weather Service said the tornado affected an approximately 130-mile stretch from eastern Texas to the area around the border of Louisiana and Arkansas, per ESPN.