The violent tornadoes which pounded the Texas area on Sunday left many people homeless and killed at least 11 people.
According to reports, the National Weather Service confirmed on Sunday night that nine tornadoes had ripped through the Lone Star State and moved through Rowlett, Garland and Sunnyvale. Eleven people were reportedly killed in Dallas and Collin counties.
Aerial shots show aftermath of tornadoes in Texas that killed at least 11 https://t.co/DBQJZmzhxH pic.twitter.com/5egteaOOar
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) December 27, 2015
A tornado that pummeled Garland, Sunnyvale, and Rowlett on Saturday evening and claimed eight lives, was classified as an EF4, the second strongest grading on the scale used to gauge the strength of a tornado, with winds ranging from 166 and 200 mph. The tornado that attacked Copeville and took the lives of two people, was classified as an EF2, with winds up to 125 mph.
Texas tornado classified as EF4 https://t.co/cB2GB1Aedl pic.twitter.com/hEPaLSh2fd
— FB Newswire (@fbnewswire) December 27, 2015
The deadly tornadoes in Texas started from Hillsboro in the south and moved northward to Blue Ridge, and eventually covered the northeastern region of Sulphur Springs over the holidays.
The trail of devastation in the Texas areas was reported to be 40 miles long, causing hundreds of people to lose their homes and evacuate to emergency shelters. By Sunday evening, weather forecasters warned the public to expect more rain and snow. Power was also cut off in Rowlett and other devastated counties.
Watch Raw Footage of the Damage Caused by the Tornadoes in Texas
“This is catastrophic,” Brian Funderburk, Rowlett city manager, stated. “We are going to have many people displaced for months.”
According to The Washington Post, the tornadoes that rocked Texas is the deadliest since the 1950s.
The latest on Saturday’s killer storms: North Texas tornadoes were deadliest in decades https://t.co/Xh4oihn4fc #dfwwx
— John Gravois (@Grav1) December 27, 2015
Initial reports claimed an estimated 1,000 homes and buildings were reduced to debris throughout Dallas, Ellis, and Collin.
Gov. Greg Abbott addressed the aftermath of the calamity on Sunday afternoon by urging Texas residents to be safe and to pay attention to instructions given by authorities.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott Talks About Recent Tornadoes in Texas
“I want to emphasize the compassion, support, and prayers that I and the first lady off to those … who have lost a family member,” said Abbott of the deadly tornadoes in Texas.