Texas tornado occurs. One person killed, several injured, community reeling from widespread damage

Devastating tornadoes and severe storms ripped through Texas on Saturday, leaving one person dead and multiple injured. The Houston metropolitan area bore the brunt of the destruction, with dozens of homes destroyed, widespread power outages and transportation disruptions.

The National Weather Service surveyed the affected area Sunday and confirmed at least five tornadoes. Brazoria County authorities reported that a 48-year-old woman was found dead near her home in south Houston.

The storm caused severe property damage, including homes losing their roofs and being crushed by fallen trees. Walt Disney Elementary School in Alvin, Texas, sustained extensive damage, leaving students wondering where they will study after winter break.

The aftermath was revealed in images and videos shared by local news outlets, including a KPRC video showing drivers evacuating under an overpass during a thunderstorm.

McAllen resident Mirna de Leon and her husband said they were forced off the highway due to zero visibility and strong winds as they returned from a Christmas celebration in Houston. “It was horrible,” De Leon told Latin Times.

National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira said there were 40 tornado reports from southeast Texas to Alabama, but many remained unconfirmed by Sunday evening. Four people were killed in the Southeast and East Coast after the storm hit Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina, CNN reported.

The Storm Prediction Center said severe thunderstorms continue to move east, causing tornadoes, hail and damage in parts of Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas, and parts of the Carolinas still under a tornado watch. It was predicted that winds would be brought.