Tornadoes Strike North Texas - Multiple Fatalities and Injuries

[MuffyBee]

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/22265270/tornado-warning-issued-for-dallas-tarrant-county
Multiple tornadoes strike North Texas on Wednesday night
Posted May 15, 2013, Updated May 16, 2013



A line of storms moving through North Texas on Wednesday caused 10 tornadoes according to early estimates and killed at least six people.

Hood County officials confirmed six people died from the tornado, 16 were critically injured and multiple homes were damaged. Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds said the death toll could climb higher, as 14 people remain unaccounted for.

First responders headed to the hardest hit parts of Hood County in the Rancho Brazos/deCordova area. Crews went house-to-house to search for victims.

A triage area set up to process and assist injured people handled around 100 people.

MedStar transported 17 patients from Granbury to Ft. Worth hospitals. Three of those patients were critical.

Hood County Sheriff's officials said the total damage will be properly assessed in the morning.

At 9:15 p.m. FOX4 received reports of a tornado a mile wide that was two miles south of Cleburne in Johnson County. Winds were recorded around 80 miles per hour at a Cleburne area hospital.

After that tornado, there reports of multiple injuries in the Cleburne area. The Cleburne mayor said power lines were knocked down and power was out in large parts of the city, hampering rescue efforts.
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3 Videos at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/16/us/texas-storm/index.html
Tornadoes hit North Texas; 6 dead, dozens injured
May 16, 2013

(CNN) -- Tornadoes ripped through North Texas on Wednesday night, killing at least six people and injuring more than 100 others, officials said.
The fatalities occurred when the storm struck a Habitat for Humanity neighborhood in the Granbury area, Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds said. There were about 120 homes in the neighborhood, and most of them were destroyed.
At least 10 tornadoes touched down in the area overnight, according to a National Weather Service preliminary count.
Fourteen people were still missing, and the death toll could rise, Deeds said.
 Raw video of Texas storm damage Storm smashes tree 'into smithereens' Fatal tornado hits Hood County, Texas Tornadoes slam into Texas
About 100 people were injured, said Matt Zavadsky, a spokesman for MedStar Mobile Healthcare.
 
The National Weather Service warned that a mile-wide tornado reported by spotters had shifted its track and was moving "right at the city of Cleburne," a community of about 15,000 people in North Texas.
"If you are in its path ... take cover immediately to protect your life," the weather service alert said.
Officials had not confirmed whether a tornado touched down in Dallas but said the storm was capable of producing one.
Video at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/Tornadoes-Large-Hail-Hit-Dallas-Fort-Worth-Metroplex-207646841.html
Fatalities Reported in DFW Area Tornadoes
May 16, 2013





Photo:  WFAA

[MuffyBee]

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Tornado-Emergency-Resources-How-to-Help-207679431.html
How to Help Tornado Victims
May 16, 2013



As residents in Hood, Johnson, and Ellis counties begin the rebuilding process after Wednesday night's outbreak of tornadoes, those wish to assist have a number of options.

The Red Cross is providing relief funds to the area through their general disaster relief fund. Those who wish to contribute can text REDCROSS to 90999 and give $10 to the fund.

Additionally, the organization has set up two shelters in Hood County for victims. They are located at First Christian Church, 2109 West Hwy 377 in Granbury and First United Methodist Church, 301 Loop 567 in Granbury.

The group is also working to set up a shelter for victims in Johnson County.

Hood County sheriffs say anyone that wishes to volunteer should report to the First United Methodist Church, 301 Loop 567 in Granbury. Volunteers should meet on the Loop side and look for the CERT trailer, according to a press release.
 

[MuffyBee]

 

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/texas/tornado-strikes-granbury-texas
NWS: Tornado packed winds up to 200 mph
Death toll at six, and more than 100 injured
May 16, 2013
GRANBURY, Texas (AP) —  Forecasters say the tornado that claimed six lives and destroyed dozens of homes in North Texas is believed to have had winds up to 200 mph.

The National Weather Service said the preliminary storm estimate for Wednesday night's tornado in Granbury was an EF-4, based on the Fujita tornado damage scale. That means the storm carried wind speeds of 166 mph to 200 mph.

The NWS believes 10 tornadoes raked North Texas in a violent system, including the one in Granbury, about 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Other tornadoes damaged nearby Cleburne and Millsap.
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Video at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/22265270/tornado-warning-issued-for-dallas-tarrant-county
Multiple tornadoes strike North Texas on Wednesday night
Posted May 15, 2013, Updated May 16, 2013

A line of storms moving through North Texas on Wednesday caused 12 tornadoes according to estimates and killed at least six people.

Hood County officials confirmed six people died from the tornado, all adults.

Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds said 37 were injured and 110 homes were damaged. Deeds said the death toll could climb higher, as 7 people remain unaccounted for as of Thursday afternoon.
 
The National Weather Service announced Thursday morning the Granbury tornado is estimated at an EF-4 strength - the second strongest designation for a tornado. EF-4's have winds between 166 and 200 miles per hour.

The hardest hit parts of Hood County were in the Rancho Brazos/deCordova area. Crews went house-to-house to search for victims on Wednesday night and crews were still searching the area Thursday morning.
 
Cleburne Mayor Scott Cain said on Thursday there were 600 homes damaged or destroyed by three EF-3 tornadoes Wednesday night. Wind speeds for an EF-3 are 136-165 miles per hour.

But there were no deaths and only a handful of minor injuries in Cleburne.

Cain said there are likely dozens of homes damaged.

Tornadoes were also reported in Montague, Parker and Wise counties on Wednesday night.

National Weather Service estimates the Millsap tornado in Parker County was an EF-1.

The City of Ennis reported one minor injury caused by falling glass. A preliminary assessment report indicates that 40 commercial buildings and 25 homes were damaged in the city of Ennis.

The Red Cross said it believes the most impacted areas are: Hood County, followed by Johnson, Parker, Wise and Montague. The organization has set up three shelters that are currently housing 42 people.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/weather/BLOG-Severe-weather-in-North-Texas-207635661.html
Hood County Sheriff: 4 women, 2 men died in Wednesday tornadoes
May 16, 2013

GRANBURY (AP/WFAA) — Six people were killed Wednesday as a spring tornado outbreak devastated parts of North Texas, destroying or damaging dozens of homes and injuring dozens of people.
The National Weather Service says 12 tornadoes touched down in the region on Wednesday. Initial estimates put that number at 10, however the NWS added one in Johnson County, southeast of Cleburne, and another in Hood County in the Pecan Plantation.
 
About 50 people were taken to a Granbury hospital, where 14 were admitted for treatment of injuries and two were transferred to a hospital in Fort Worth, about 35 miles to the northeast, Deeds said.
As many as 100 people were injured, said Matt Zavadsky, spokesman for MedStar Mobile Healthcare. His company sent three ambulances and a medical bus from its Fort Worth base to Granbury.
Wednesday night, Deeds said officials were trying to account for 14 people, however he said they were able to locate seven of those people by 8 a.m. Thursday. Deeds said six or seven remained missing in the afternoon, although he was "very confident we're going to find the people alive and well and they just haven't reported to us."
 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.kvue.com/home/Pray-for-Granbury-At-least-six-dead-in-Hood-County-tornadoes-207674381.html
Names of 6 killed by Granbury tornado released
May 16, 2013

The worst-hit city Wednesday was Granbury, where authorities say a deadly tornado tore through two neighborhoods about 8 p.m. Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds delivered the death toll at a midnight news conference.
"Some were found in houses. Some were found around houses," Deeds said. He also said the total could climb as crews pick through the rubble of shattered homes.

"Pray for Granbury," the sheriff said.
During a Thursday afternoon briefing, Deeds said four men and two women died as a result of the tornadoes. The victims were identified as Glenda Whitehead, age unknown, Bob Whitehead, approximately 60, Tommy Martin, 61, Leo Stefanski, 83, Jose Tovar Alvarez, 34,and Marjari Davis, 82.


 

(Timeline at end of article)

 
My condolences to those that lost friends or loved ones in the storms. 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Facebook-groups-formed-to-try-to-unite-pets-with-owners-after-tornadoes-207813811.html
Facebook groups formed to unite pets with owners after tornadoes
Posted May 16, 2013, Updated May 17, 2013

GRANBURY -- There is hope Thursday some pets missing after Wednesday's tornadoes will be reunited with their families.

Animal rescue groups are working closely with animal control to make these reunions.

We’re told as many as 200 dogs, some of them posted on Facebook here and here, have been recovered in Granbury,

Most of the animals were taken to Fort Worth to stay overnight Thursday and will be returned to Granbury Friday. Aid groups told News 8 they’ve secured a large, air-conditioned warehouse to house the non-aggressive dogs.
 


https://www.facebook.com/TexasTornadoPets
Lost & Found Pets from North Texas Tornadoes


https://www.facebook.com/secondchancefarmgranbury
Second Chance Farm

[MuffyBee]

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/22288185/tornado-victims-hope-to-find-lost-pets
Tornado victims hope to find lost pets
May 18, 2013


 
Owners can start picking them up this weekend and need to be prepared to either provide a description of their missing pet or a picture.

They should also have driver's licenses available.

Pets not claimed this weekend will be listed on petfinder-dot.com.

Operation Kindness in Carrollton says they've received an influx of animals since the tornadoes, and the plant explosion in West, and hope people who are interested in adopting will follow through with that process to alleviate over-crowding at the shelter.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Students-return-to-class-in-Cleburne-after-tornado-208162461.html
Students return to class in Cleburne for first time since tornado
May 20, 2013

CLEBURNE –– Students returned to class in Cleburne Monday, five days after a tornado severely damaged two school buildings. Strong winds from the powerful EF3 twister ripped away part of the roof at Gerard Elementary School.
 
Gerard Elementary and Smith Middle School both took hard hits. Several classrooms were destroyed by incoming water and the power was knocked out.
"Without air conditioning, without lights, computers and stuff like that, it's difficult to have school nowadays," Superintendent Tim Miller said. 
The district canceled classes for the remainder of the week, but many in the town of Cleburne agreed that it was important to get kids back in school, as soon as possible.
"I think they need normality. They need back to normal," Steve Whitney said Monday as he walked his son to school amid the seemingly ever-present storm debris.
Five-hundred students attend school at Gerard and another 750 are enrolled at Smith. They have three weeks of school left in the year. It is unclear if they will have to extend the year to make up for the lost days following the storm.
 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/weather/Rancho-Brazos-residents-piece-through-rubble-of-their-homes-208081141.html
Granbury residents comb through tornado rubble
May 19, 2013

 
Over the weekend, more than 150 residents were allowed to return and see what is left of their homes.
Close to 100 structures here are heavily damaged or destroyed.
Jose Alvarez, a 34-year-old construction worker, lost his life when his mobile home trailer was flipped upside-down onto another trailer.
"Even in the hardest times we were working together;  he always had a smile on his face," said Danny Souder, a longtime co-worker of Alvarez.  "It's just such a shame he is gone."
There was a viewing for him on Sunday night.  A memorial service was scheduled for Monday morning.
An 8 p.m. curfew remains in effect for residents of Rancho Brazos. That is expected to last through the next few days.

Rest in peace Mr. Alvarez