At least two people were killed, and six others injured as a series of tornadoes ravaged parts of Texas and Mississippi on Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction and forcing the storm system to move eastward across Alabama early Sunday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that the storm system was moving east through Alabama into Georgia by 4 a.m. Sunday, prompting severe thunderstorm warnings with the possibility of more tornadoes in western Georgia and the northwestern tip of Florida, which lies just above the Gulf of Mexico.
In Texas, one fatality occurred in the Liverpool area, south of Houston, where four others were injured, although none of the injuries were considered life-threatening, according to Madison Polston from the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office. Several tornadoes touched down across the region, with damage reported in Liverpool, Hillcrest Village, and Alvin. Officials confirmed around 10 homes were damaged but were still assessing the full extent of the destruction.
Meanwhile, in Mississippi, one person was killed in Adams County, and two others were injured in Franklin County, as confirmed by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The NWS reported two tornadoes striking near Bude and the city of Brandon, causing extensive damage, including the removal of roofs from several buildings.
“These storms are likely to intensify as they move further east,” warned Josh Lichter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. It was reported that at least six tornadoes hit the Houston area, though more could be discovered as crews conduct further damage assessments. The region also saw damage from both tornadoes and straight-line winds.
Mobile homes were destroyed in Katy and Porter Heights, just north of Houston, where the NWS confirmed that doors at a fire station were blown in. Additionally, Houston’s two main airports, Bush Intercontinental and Hobby, experienced significant departure delays, with flights delayed by over an hour Saturday afternoon, according to FlightAware.
In Mississippi, over 71,000 utility customers were without power by Saturday evening, with the number expected to rise as the storm system continued. By 3:30 a.m. Sunday, nearly 81,000 customers were without power, down from 93,000 earlier in the night. Malary White, chief communications officer for MEMA, stated that while no official damage reports had been released, emergency responders were focused on ensuring safety and accounting for everyone.
As the storm system moved further east, the NWS in Birmingham, Alabama, issued severe thunderstorm warnings for several areas in southern Alabama, advising residents to seek shelter to avoid potential winds reaching up to 60 mph (96.5 kph).
