This past Saturday a catastrophic sequence of tornados and thunderstorms inflicted widespread damage in Cooke, Collin, Denton, and Montague counties. The deadly storms have resulted in multiple fatalities, around 100 people injured, and around 100,000 Texans without power.
The storms destroyed over 200 homes – with some reports up to 250 homes – leaving 120 damaged, downing power lines, trees, and sinking boats in storms’ path. Valley View in Cooke County was hit the hardest among the affected areas.
The storm was the worst in Texas history since 2015. Governor Greg Abbott since issued a disaster declaration for these areas.
Those who have suffered property damage in wake of the storm are encouraged to visit TDEM iSTAT to submit damages and losses on residential, commercial, and/or agricultural property.
President Joe Biden has since issued a statement regarding the deadly area storms:
“Our team is directly in touch with state and local officials. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been on the ground conducting damage assessments and we stand ready to provide support as needed.”
Preliminary reports revealed that the tornados were confirmed EF-2 (in Cooke and Montague Counties) and EF-3 (in Collin County) on the wind-based Fujita Scale. As described by the National Weather Service, the tornados carry speeds of 111-135 mph and 136-165 mph, respectively.
Officials are presently assessing the damage inflicted by the storms. As it stands, there is still around 100,000 people in Texas without power. Presently, there is no timeframe for when the power will be restored.
Affected residents in Collin County can contact GraceBridge non-profit for supplies. There is a location in 402 South Oklahoma Drive where others can donated resources and supplies.
Those in Cooke County can find shelter at a Red Cross shelter located inside the First Baptist Church on North Lee Street.
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