May 26 (UPI) — At least five people have died and possibly as many as hundreds were injured after reported tornadoes touched down across north Texas over Memorial Day weekend.
Ray Sappington, the sheriff of Cooke County at the border with Oklahoma, said at a news conference that the five reported deaths included an undisclosed number of children as he predicted that the death toll would rise. And at least two children were reported missing.
Meanwhile, injuries were reported as far south as the city of Sanger in Denton County, about 55 miles northwest of Dallas. The Denton Fire Department said in a statement that “multiple victims” were reported including some people “trapped” at the marina on Lake Ray Roberts. Its first responders were also being sent to Sanger to help cover calls.
“The marina took a direct hit from a large tornado last night,” officials with the Ray Roberts Marina said on Facebook. “There is so much damage, we don’t even know where to start.”
Marina officials said that most RVs were turned over with several people trapped inside but all were rescued with no known serious injuries, though the marina’s beloved dock cat, Ginder, was lost in the storm.
“Our hearts are broken but we were watched over by our Lord and Savior last night,” Marina officials said. “We are blessed and very thankful today. Prayers for those who weren’t as fortunate as us.
“The Denton County Office of Emergency Management said that it had opened a shelter at the Sanger ISD Indian Gym for those impacted by the storms and that the shelter would remain open overnight.
According to DFW Scanner, an emergency response news site in North Texas, crews were also working overnight to clean up several crashed vehicles including at least two 18-wheelers.
The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth said that by 1:14 a.m., the tornado threat had diminished and the supercell thunderstorm responsible for the tornadoes had continued to weaken as it moved through Delta and Hopkins Counties toward Louisiana.
The tornados came just days after another tornado hit Temple, a little further south. Photos from that tornado showed a destroyed Veterans of Foreign Wars building and several damaged homes.
