A city in northern Texas, in the southern United States, was hit on Thursday by a “terrifying” tornado that left a trail of destruction, with at least three people dead and more than 100 injured. Several million Americans in different southern and midwestern states were under severe weather alert for dangerous storms that, fueled by the region’s high temperatures, spawned tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hail the size of golf balls.
Tornado, severe thunderstorm, and flash flood warnings were issued for the states of Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Florida. In the Texas town of Perryton, a violent tornado struck late Thursday night, leaving buildings and mobile homes destroyed or damaged, trees toppled, and vehicles overturned, according to storm chaser videos.
Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher told ABC News that three deaths were confirmed and more than 100 people were injured, some seriously. Some of the injured were taken to specialized hospitals. A mobile home park was one of the sites directly affected by the tornado.
State Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement that Texas was rapidly deploying resources to respond to the emergency and provide the necessary support to protect Texas residents and help those affected by the tornadoes in Perryton.
Storm chaser Brian Emfinger, who captured aerial images with his drone in Perryton, described “significant damage,” including in the city’s industrial area. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for parts of north and central Texas, including Dallas, a city with a population of 1.2 million. Although the threat of hail and wind gusts is still present, it was noted that one or two additional tornadoes are not ruled out, according to the NWS statement.