Several devastating tornadoes swept through the Dallas Fort Worth area today, bringing about a rare “tornado emergency” designation from the local National Weather Service office. The storms went on to cause millions of dollars in property damage that will take weeks to fully assess. Fortunately, no deaths were reported, though injuries are still being evaluated.
Tornadoes were also reported in the cities of Arlington and Lancaster, Texas. News footage showing tractor-trailers being thrown about like toys by the massive tornado filled the airwaves on Tuesday, capturing headlines across the country.
Several dozen homes in the path of the tornadoes were also damaged or destroyed. Tens of thousands of residents are still without power and hundreds of flights have been canceled at DFW airport while officials assess hail and wind damage to planes that were exposed to the storms.
Dallas-Forth Worth television station WFAA captured incredible footage of one of the tornadoes from their news chopper that reported live as the events unfolded.
As of 6:00pm on Tuesday evening, the Storm Prediction Center had received at least a dozen reports of tornadoes across the state, most centered on the Dallas-Forth Worth area. That number may fluctuate as the National Weather Service investigates the reports in the coming days.
However, upon preliminary review, the National Weather Service has confirmed that “considerable damage” was reported near Cleburn, south of Fort Worth, and in the city of Lancaster.