Chris Lange, FISM News
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At least two tornadoes tore through the Interstate 35 corridor of north and central Texas – particularly in the Austin suburbs of Round Rock and Elgin, and in an area west-northwest of Dallas-Fort Worth – and in southern Oklahoma late Monday, destroying multiple homes and businesses, trapping residents, and creating numerous power outages. No deaths were reported, though there have been multiple reports of injuries.
Officials said several homes in Round Rock, Texas, were seriously damaged or completely destroyed after a tornado touched down in the city of 120,000 located roughly 20 miles from Austin.
“We could see a funnel on the south side of Round Rock. That funnel continued through the south side of the city,” Police Chief Allen Banks said during a Monday evening press conference.
Banks said buildings in and around the city suffered “extreme structural damage” from the twister but noted that only minor injuries had been reported.
One video captured the moment a tornado crossed over an interstate, tossing a truck upside down before tipping it back right side up. The driver was miraculously able to drive away.
Watch this red truck in the middle of a Texas tornado. pic.twitter.com/2FkqbDejoQ
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 22, 2022
A family of three was rescued after their Bowie, Texas home was heavily damaged in the storm, according to a local NBC affiliate. Resident Kathy Tune’s mother-in-law was hospitalized for a minor head injury afterward.
“We were all sitting there and then bam – it hit,” Tune said, noting that their cell phones’ emergency alarms sounded with only moments to spare. “I, by instinct, ran toward the bathroom but the wall came down and the refrigerator fell over on me,” she continued, adding that at one point during the terrifying ordeal, she saw her mother-in-law “flying” across the room from the force of the powerful winds.
Her husband, Joshua, who suffered some cuts and abrasions, said that, despite the damage to the home, the family is happy to be alive.
Multiple other structures in the area were damaged, including a gas plant; however, there were no reported leaks or fires.
A high school in nearby Jacksboro was also damaged by a possible tornado after classes had ended, causing the school’s gym to collapse. No injuries were reported.
At least one tornado was reported in the small southern Oklahoma town of Kingston located just north of the Texas border, resulting in heavy damage to homes and other structures. Police were assisting residents Monday evening, according to a local news station. No injuries have been reported as of this report.
Kingston, Oklahoma
2 early pictures of tornado damage done.
Some lost a little
Some lost everything pic.twitter.com/ua1fcjIvzP— X vince X (@TheRealVTKlock) March 22, 2022
The National Weather Service on Tuesday warned that the storm system that generated the twisters could bring strong winds, hail, and possibly produce more tornadoes in Texas and Louisiana today. The service also cautioned that flooding could occur to the south, including in Oklahoma and Mississippi.