A small hamlet in northwest Texas was devastated on Thursday by at least one tornado, resulting in three fatalities and up to 100 injuries.
The Texas Panhandle, in the state’s northwest, was expected to experience a number of strong storms on Thursday morning, according to weather forecasts in the Lone Star State.
Around 6.30am, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Amarillo predicted that “severe storms will likely develop in the eastern Panhandles this afternoon before shifting to the NE Panhandles after 7 PM.” Hail up to the size of a grapefruit, severe winds up to 75 mph, and flash flooding are all possibilities.
Authorities quickly realized the storm had the potential to create tornados, and a large swathe of the Panhandle was placed under a tornado watch on Thursday afternoon.
The NWS confirmed at least one tornado struck the region around 5.00pm.
The small town of Perryton, only seven miles from the border with Oklahoma, fared the worst from the destructive storm.
Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said the town took a ‘direct hit’ from the storm. The fire chief estimated at least 100 homes and trailers were destroyed.
‘It’s bad, it’s very bad,’ Perryton Mayor Kerry Symons said. ‘It’s non-stop crazy. It couldn’t have hit in a more vulnerable place.’
Additionally, a large portion of Perryton’s main street was devastated, flattening many of the town’s restaurants, bars, and other businesses, as well as its town hall.
A hospital official at Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton said they treated between 75 to 100 people for injuries as of Friday morning. These have ranged from minor cuts and bruises to one patient with a collapsed lung.
At least three people were killed during the storm, officials have confirmed. A fourth person is still unaccounted for.
Mayor Symons said officials would not be able to provide an accurate count of fatalities until after search and rescue crews were finished combing through the ruins.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed emergency management resources to northwestern Texas on Thursday night, which included medical first responders, search and rescue teams, road crews, and personnel to help restore water.
‘I ask all Texans to join Cecilia and me in praying for our fellow Texans who have been impacted by this horrific storm,’ Abbott said in a press release. ‘Stay safe, Texas.’