At least 3 people are killed and 75 others injured as ‘horrific’ tornado hits Perryton, Texas: Debris swirls through air as homes are destroyed
- Perryton fire chief Paul Dutcher reported that at least three people were killed in the tornado, which hit at 5:10pm
- Images revealed the devastation as parts of the town were left in rubble by the twister – while emergency crews searched for survivors amid the debris
At least three people were killed and more than 75 others were injured on Thursday after a tornado struck the Texas city of Perryton.
Images revealed the devastation as parts of the town were left in rubble by the twister – while emergency crews searched for survivors amid the broken homes and debris.
‘It’s bad, it’s very bad. It’s non-stop crazy. It couldn’t have hit in a more vulnerable place,’ Mayor Kerry Symons said, adding that he would be unable to say how many people had died until Friday morning.
Perryton fire chief Paul Dutcher reported that at least three people were killed in the tornado, which hit at 5:10pm.
At least three people were killed and more than 75 others were injured on Thursday after a tornado struck the Texas city of Perryton
A view of a damaged site in Perryton after the town was struck by a tornado, in Texas
Debris swirls through the air as the town is hit by a twister
The Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton, a town of 8,000 people, had yet to receive any dead.
But some people with life-threatening injuries were transferred to larger medical centers in Amarillo, Debbie Beck, the hospital’s chief financial officer, said.
Beck said that up to 100 people with injuries ranging from scratches to a collapsed lung were treated at the hospital in Perryton.
At least 30 trailer homes were damaged or destroyed in Perryton, and firefighters were still rescuing victims at 6 p.m.
Officials say the town may have been struck by three tornadoes.
Three people have died and dozens others have been injured in the natural disaster
Trees break and collapse following the twister
Images revealed the devastation as parts of the town were left in rubble by the twister – while emergency crews searched for survivors
Vehciles get stuck due to a blockade caused by a tornado in the town of Perryton, Texas
Homes were torn apart and left in rubble, while vehicles were overturned and trees had snapped in half.
‘Jane & I are praying for the people of Perryton tonight. I am in contact with Mayor Symons and this tragedy is being closely monitored by myself and my whole staff,’ U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson, a Republican from Texas, said on Twitter.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a written statement that he was deploying the state’s emergency response teams to the area, including resources from an emergency medical task force, along with search and rescue teams.
Abbott said: ‘The State of Texas is swiftly deploying critical emergency response resources to provide all necessary support and assistance to protect Texans and help those impacted by tornadoes in Perryton.
‘I encourage all Texans to heed the guidance of state and local officials and to take all necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your loved ones.
‘We remain ready to quickly provide any additional resources needed over the course of this severe weather event.
‘I ask all Texans to join Cecilia and me in praying for our fellow Texans who have been impacted by this horrific storm. Stay safe, Texas.’
Rep. Four Price said: ‘Please keep the Perryton community in your prayers. Many structures are damaged.’
