Texas tornado – live: Perryton hammered by deadly storm leaving at least three dead and 100 injured
At least three people have been killed after a devastating tornado tore through a Texas Panhandle town on Thursday, destroying trailer homes, downing communications towers and plunging the entire community into darkness.
The National Weather Service in Amarillo confirmed that a tornado hit Perryton on Thursday afternoon, which is home to more than 8,000 people and is located just south of the Oklahoma border.
One person was killed when a mobile home park took a “direct hit” from a tornado, Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher told reporters.
Two other victims are also confirmed dead while between 75 and 100 people were being treated for injuries ranging from minor to severe.
The catastrophic storm wiped out power for the entire town, including a major hospital receiving residents wounded in the chaos.
More than 224,000 customers were still without power in Texas as of around 3.30am local time on Friday morning, according to the poweroutage.us website. In Ochiltree County – home to Perryton – a staggering 91 percent (8,910 of 9,775) of customers were without power.
Governor Greg Abbott has directed state emergency response resources to assist the hard-hit town.
Full story: Devastating tornado rips through Texas leaving at least three dead, two missing and dozens more injured
10:14 , Rachel Sharp
A devastating tornado has ripped through Texas leaving at least three dead, two missing and dozens more injured.
The Lone Star State was pummeled by a series of severe storms on Thursday, destroying trailer homes and downing communications towers.
As thousands of homes – and a major hospital – were left without power and residents were feared missing in the rubble, Governor Greg Abbott directed state emergency response resources to the hard-hit Panhandle town of Perryton.
Read the full story:
Deadly tornado rips through Texas killing three and injuring dozens more
Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog
10:12 , Rachel Sharp
Follow for updates on the tornado which battered the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton on Thursday.
