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Deadly tornado hits Texas town, killing at least 3 and injuring dozen
The tornado caused a lot of damage, officials say.
A powerful and deadly tornado struck a Texas city, killing at least three people and injuring a dozen, on Thursday, June 15, according to officials in the Texas Panhandle city of Perryton. First responders told NBC News the tornado caused a lot of damage.
Perryton, which is near the Oklahoma border, is home to about 8,500 people. The National Weather Service stated the tornado hit Perryton around 5 p.m. The tornado took a direct shot to the town, leaving three people dead and about 56 people injured, Ochiltree County Sheriff Terry Bouchard told the Amarillo Globe-News. Two people are still missing as of Thursday evening.
The tornado caused widespread power outages, destroyed homes, and overturned a truck. Perryton Mayor Kerry Symons said generators were keeping water service operating while the power was out. Gov. Greg Abbott sent additional resourses over to the city during the major weather event, including road crews and engineers.
As of Friday morning, June 16, there’s no immediate word on the tornado’s size or wind speeds.
Storm Chaser Brian Emfinger tweeted a video of the tornado moving through Perryton as well as the damage and aftermath. He tweeted, “Folks in Perryton are gonna need some help over the next few weeks/months.”
Meteorologist Kaitlin Wright also tweeted a video of the streets of Perryton after the tornado hit.
A journalist with ABC 7 Amarillo Mitchell Downing also shared a view of the city, calling it “complete devastation.”