Texas Tornadoes Claim One Life and Injure Six
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Houston, Dec 29 (NationPress) At least one person has died and six others were injured after several tornadoes and intense storms swept across the Greater Houston metropolitan area in the state of Texas, officials stated.
In Brazoria County, approximately 45 miles (72.4 km) south of Houston, the Sheriff's Office confirmed one fatality along with four injuries, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
In the northern region of Houston's Montgomery County, an additional two individuals were hospitalized due to their injuries, Deputy Chief of Staff Jason Smith mentioned to CBS News.
Currently, there are no indications of critical injuries.
"We are still conducting secondary searches to ensure that all residents are accounted for," stated Madison Polston, spokesperson for the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, in an interview with CNN.
"At this stage, we do not anticipate any further fatalities," she added.
Multiple tornadoes struck the suburbs of Houston on Saturday, causing damage to numerous homes and knocking down power lines and trees, according to the US National Weather Service (NWS).
From Houston to Dallas, hundreds of flights experienced cancellations or delays at Texas airports due to the severe weather conditions.
In addition to Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi were also under a tornado watch as per the NWS, which was elevated to a rare "particularly dangerous situation." The warning indicated the presence of "numerous strong tornadoes" until 9 p.m. Central Standard Time (0300 GMT).
In southwest Mississippi, a significant wedge tornado touched down west of Brookhaven, leaving widespread debris and injuries, as per a local report.
At least one individual became trapped in a residence when a tree collapsed onto it during the tornado, the report added.
Throughout eastern Louisiana, powerful winds brought down trees and power lines, with peak speeds reaching 81 mph (130.35 km/h) on Saturday afternoon.
The threat posed by severe storms is expected to diminish on Sunday as it shifts towards the Southeast, the East Coast, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic, according to a CNN report, adding that 2024 has already recorded 1,783 tornado reports across the US as of Friday.
