In pictures: Texans assess tornado damage after spate of storms

The National Weather Service says that up to a dozen tornadoes may have struck the Dallas-Fort Worth area yesterday.

AT LEAST TWO powerful tornadoes have struck the Dallas-Fort Worth area of northern Texas, injuring at least a dozen people and causing severe damage.

Thousands of homes have been left without power and hundreds of homes have been destroyed, but there have been no reports of fatalities.

The exact number of tornadoes which struck will not be known until surveyors carry out further analysis of the damaged areas, but the National Weather Service has suggested that up to 12 may have struck. Three weather service teams will carry out storm surveys across the north of the state today.

In pictures: Texans assess tornado damage after spate of storms

Previous 1 / 6Next

Texas Storms
Destroyed vehicles sit in a Kenworth, Texas trailer lot after a tornado that swept through the area. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez/PA Images)
Texas Storms
A damaged trailer remains in the street after a tornado swept through the Arlington, Texas yesterday. (AP Photo/Kim Johnson Flodin/PA Images)
Texas Storms
Bill Brangers, right, and Benjamin Powell, 5, left, look at the trailer that a tornado lifted from the Powell's driveway to a neighbour's garden two doors down in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Kim Johnson Flodin/PA Images)
Texas Storms
Searching a home after a tornado swept through the area Forney, Texas yesterday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez/PA Images)
Texas Storms
Deeann Powell recovers items from the trailer that a tornado lifted from her driveway to her neighbour's yard in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Kim Johnson Flodin/PA Images)
Texas Storms
Friends and neighbours help a home owner recover personal items after a tornado struck in Forney, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez/PA Images)

The damage is currently being assessed and the Red Cross has given a preliminary estimate of 650 damaged homes. An entire wing of a nursing home in Arlington was destroyed. A physical therapist who worked at the facility described the storms sounding “like a bomb hit” as patients and therapists huddled in the hallway for shelter.

Hundreds of flights in and out of the area were cancelled or diverted, stranding thousands of passengers at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, CBS reports.

This footage shows the storms throwing trucks high into the air:

(Video uploaded by trollnews2)

Meanwhile, this clip shows one of the storms forming and touching ground:

(Video uploaded by TheDarmaVIDS)

Texas governor Rick Perry has called on state residents to keep an eye on weather reports throughout tornado season after yesterday’s storms showed “how quickly Mother Nature can strike”.

“I urge everyone in affected areas to stay off the roads as much as possible, and allow emergency workers and first responders to do their jobs quickly and safely,” he added.

The National Weather Service says it will be posting updates from the survey teams throughout the day on Facebook, and will provide a weather update later today.

- Additional reporting by the AP

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More