Devastation after EF-3 Tornado Touches Down in Dallas

Posted on October 21, 2019

DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF)- Widespread damage from Northwest Dallas to Richardson after an EF-3 tornado touched down Sunday night packing 140 mile per hour maximum winds. The National Weather Service sent out crews to asses damage in Dallas and Van Zandt Counties. The NWS team confirmed an EF-1 Tornado with maximum winds of 100 mph touched down in Rowlett and an EF-0 Touch Down in Wills Point in Van Zandt Counties.

Roofs are destroyed, glass is shattered in windows, trees have fallen onto homes and cars as well as downed power lines.

Residents in the Preston Hollow neighborhood outside to see the extend of the damage and say they feel lucky to be alive. “It was very emotional,” said Malena Varel. “The houses down the street are torn up… you see all of their personal belongings all over the streets.. I mean we just feel very blessed that we are all in tact,” she said.

Some even described it as a war zone. “This 85 year old tree is completely uprooted and blocking the entire road you see trees fallen over homes and the roof across the street is completely ripped off,” said Joe Lynch a resident in the Preston Hollow neighborhood.

Residents say as emotional and devastating this is, it’s great to see the community coming together offering support and any assistance they can . “I was going door to door making sure everyone was safe and okay,” said Alan Yonack. “As soon as sunlight hit everyone came together and walked through the neighborhoods to come together, it’s hard to get anywhere since there are so many trees blocking roadways,” said Leslie Hutchins.

Some residents are overwhelmed with the damage and said it’s nothing they expected and there wasn’t enough warning. “We went into our walk in  closet when it happened and you could just feel the pressure…My sister came in 5 minutes before the storm hit and after when we looked outside about three trees were on top of her car… you can’t even see her car,” said Varel.
“This is nuts I have never seen mother nature get this mad before,” said another resident.

Telephone poles are snapped in half and Oncor Reported at least 100,000 people were without power.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said he realizes many people are without basic necessities and the city is working with various agencies to assure services are restored safely. “We are making sure we are doing anything in a way that keep residents safe. We want to work in a way as fast as possible but we also have to be very careful when you talk about perforated gas lines and downed power lines those things could do serious harm to people so we want to make sure that’s done correctly,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said.  The mayor adds Dallas was lucky no-one was killed, but people should still be cautious.

He said the best way to help victims is to make donations to the city of Dallas emergency assistance fund.

The Bachman Rec Center is open for anyone who needs a place to stay.

 

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More Pictures of damage here: