At least three dead as massive tornadoes sweep through small Texas town, knocking down homes and tearing apart trees
- Three people were killed in the small Texas town of Matador after a violent storm blew through Wednesday night
- A search is underway for people who may be trapped or injured under the rubble
- The storm, which likely spawned a tornado, moved through Texas Wednesday evening, prompting officials to warn of hail
A massive tornado hit a northern Texas town, killing at least three people and causing significant damage to about a dozen major buildings.
A search has also been launched for people who may have been injured or trapped by debris in Matador, Texas, according to authorities.
The small town — home to about 600 residents — is about 300 miles northwest of Dallas and was issued a tornado warning when the storm touched down around 8 p.m.
A storm system moved through the area Wednesday night, prompting the weather service to warn of possible hail and tornadoes in parts of northern Texas
¿#BREAK: A massive and deadly tornado has left a trail of catastrophic damage with several homes and businesses completely razed to the ground¿¿¿#Matador | #Texas
¿Currently, several emergency services and emergency services are on their way to the town of Matador, Texas, following a massive and¿ pic.twitter.com/oZjYiG5qtg— RAWSALERTS (@rawsalerts) June 22, 2023
William Iwasko, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lubbock, Texas, said based on the damage “most likely a tornado” swept through Matador, but the official designation will be made Thursday.
Pat Smith, the city’s mayor, who also provides emergency services, confirmed at least three people were killed and others may have been injured. Rescue workers had pulled some residents out of collapsed houses.
He added that the city’s electricity went out and several businesses were destroyed.
“It’s really bad,” Smith told the New York Times, as emergency services shouted directions in the background.
A storm system moved across the area Wednesday night, prompting the weather service to warn of possible hail and tornadoes in parts of northern Texas.
Wednesday night’s storm came nearly a week after a tornado swept through another small Texas town, Perryton, also killing three people and blowing several dozen trailers and mobile homes apart.
About a dozen buildings were damaged by the storm and some businesses were completely wiped out
The National Weather Service will determine Thursday whether the storm officially spawned a tornado — weather experts say the answer is likely to be yes
Close view of the monster supercell that spawned tonight’s violent tornado in Matador, Texas. Cloud tops with this storm have reached over 20,000 feet. #TXwx pic.twitter.com/1hoe4Dmsdl
— Collin Gross (@CollinGrossWx) June 22, 2023
That tornado was part of a series of raging storms that swept across the southern United States last week
That tornado was part of a series of raging storms that swept across the southern United States last week.
The Matador storm came along with an intense heat wave that blanketed much of Texas and Oklahoma.
Officials in the Lone Star state issued an excessive heat warning for the Dallas-Fort Worth area and asked residents in other parts of the state to conserve electricity as they fear the power grid could fail for several days with temperatures reaching reach the triple digits.
Just days ago, a tornado swept into a Mississippi town, killing one and injuring 20 people.