A minimum of five individuals were eliminated as extreme weather condition raged across Texas, Oklahoma and the Southeastern United States on Wednesday
In East Texas, a minimum of 3 individuals were dead and as many as 30 others were hurt after a twister touched down in the town of Onalaska, according to Seth W. Christensen, representative for the Texas Division of Emergency Situation Management.
Onalaska is in Polk County, about 80 miles north-northeast of Houston, where officials declared a disaster after the storms Wednesday night.
Another deadly tornado touched down near the southern Oklahoma city of Madill about 5 p.m. and damaged at least a lots structures, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said.
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Two people were killed, stated Robert Chaney, emergency situation management director for Marshall County, and a third individual remained in critical condition at a health center.
” The tornado hit the outskirts of Madill,” he stated.
The tornado, which happened about 100 miles north of Dallas, became part of an extreme weather outbreak expected to include heavy rain, flash flooding and thunderstorms throughout the Southeast, according to the National Weather Service.
It had actually knocked out power to more than 7,000 consumers early Wednesday night, Oklahoma emergency management authorities stated.
In East Texas, widespread damage was reported in Polk County after a tornado touched down in the evening. Previously in the day, Gov. Greg Abbott positioned state resources on standby as the weather condition approached.
” The state has actually currently deployed response teams and medical resources to help Texans in requirement and to provide support to these communities,” Abbott stated in a statement. “Our hearts are with our fellow Texans tonight and the state will continue to do everything it can to support those affected by this severe weather.”
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In Polk County, about 80 miles north-northeast of Houston, authorities opened a junior and senior high school as emergency situation shelters.
Officials at Louisiana State University Alexandria said on Twitter that the extreme weather condition fell a livestock structure on campus.
Wednesday night the weather condition service released twister cautions for parts of Texas and Louisiana.
Dennis Romero writes for NBC News and is based in Los Angeles.
