A freak hailstorm in Dallas on Wednesday night has reportedly caused damage into the millions of dollars, shattering windshields and destroying several rooftops in neighborhoods.
The storm, which was actually two separate storm systems, lasted more than three hours and shocked residents with its intensity, raining down baseball-sized chunks of ice. Somehow, no injuries have been reported.
Several insurance companies have tallied their claims and are giving early estimates of around $400 million in damages, mostly to cars. Local news station WFAA reported that local auto-body shops were swamped and were only taking cars which were un-drivable due to the influx of business.
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Residents reported that the storm sounded like everything from gunfire to “bombs” as it pummeled homes and unleashed its fury during a traffic jam. Several glass sculptures at the Dallas Arborteum were damaged, as well.
Rumors about the estimated cost of damages are flying today, especially on Twitter:
Dallas #HailStorm will create a spike in car sales, but what about all of the worthless hail damaged vehicles?
Avg home/business hail claim is about $12,000. Avg vehicle around $4000-5000. NO WAY Dallas hailstorm has $2 billion in damage.
The hailstorm in Dallas this week was the city’s worst in nine years. Total damage is estimated at $400 million.