2 tornadoes slam Texas town causing extensive damage

WHARTON COUNTY, Texas — Tornadoes left behind trails of damage in Wharton County early Thursday, the National Weather Service confirmed.

One EF-1 tornado with winds up to 100 mph touched down around 3 a.m. behind an apartment complex northeast of the city of Wharton. That tornado traveled east across County Road 166, County Road 133, and County Road 128.

“The most extensive damage was along Everett and Holiness lanes, just south of CR 166,” NWS said.

KHOU 11’s Stephen Goin was in Wharton County Wednesday morning to see firsthand the damage storms left behind.

On CR 166, one home was wiped out. The homeowner told Goin that it was a weekend retreat he had just finished remodeling. Parts of the house were blown entirely off the foundation.

Several other homes and structures were damaged and trees in the area had large branches snapped off.

“As the tornado traveled east, it continued producing mostly tree damage and some minor roof damage,” NWS said.

A second tornado, this one reportedly an EF-0 with winds up to 75 mph, touched down near Burr in east Wharton County around 3:20 a.m. The NWS said that tornado caused minor tree damage along its path as it moved westward over County Road 117.

“An older shed also had its roof blown off along CR 111,” NWS said.