Multiple Deaths After Tornadoes Strike Texas

The governor declared a disaster in four Dallas-area counties Sunday, urging caution as a new wave of severe weather began to hit Texas in the afternoon.

At least 13 people died at the weekend due to flooding in Missouri and IL.

As the sun rose Sunday morning, television news helicopters showed scores of homes leveled in Garland, Rowlett and to the south of Dallas in Ellis County. The affected areas could receive more than eight inches of snow, the agency said, with possible snowdrifts higher than six feet.

Lt Barineau described the scene as “total devastation” and it was estimated that 1,450 homes were damaged. Police there say an initial search of impacted areas has concluded with no additional victims found.

Over the weekend, eight people died in flash flooding, including four global soldiers temporarily stationed at Fort Leonard Wood for training. Three adults and two children were near the village of Patoka, east of St Louis, when their auto was washed away on Saturday night, according to Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon.

Heavy snows also proved crippling in northern and western Texas, where many schools are closed today.

Three other people died in Collin County, about 72 kilometres northeast of Dallas, according to sheriff’s deputy Chris Havey, although the circumstances were not immediately clear.

The weather service said an EF-4 tornado, which is the second-most powerful with winds up to more than 200 miles per hour, hit the community at about 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

A Garland police spokesman said there are no active rescues underway, but first responders are searching damaged homes for anyone that might be trapped.

An emergency vehicle drives through a neighborhood in Rowlett, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, the morning after it was struck by a tornado. The extent of the injuries are not known, and officials said there are no reports of missing people. Bad weather is expected to continue through Monday. North of Garland, three people died in Collin County, including an infant. New Mexico’s governor declared a State of Emergency on Sunday as residents dealt with…

Other parts of Texas and Oklahoma, including El Paso, are under winter storm warnings, while North Texas, central Oklahoma and central Kansas are under a winter storm watch.

The Texas tornadoes followed days of tumultuous weather in the Southeast including unusual winter tornadoes that left 18 people dead there over the Christmas holiday period.

The US National Weather Service has issued severe weather advisories for large parts of the country, including a blizzard warning for parts of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and a flash flood watch stretching from Texas to Indiana.

Meanwhile, forecasters are warning residents in Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota about the threat of heavy snow and ice, accompanied by gusty winds.

“We can’t wait, when it is raining so much”, she said. About half of them were in Dallas, a major United States flight hub.

In addition to all the problems on the ground, numerous flights at several airports were cancelled because of the severe weather.

Ranager Tyler and his son waded into flood water Christmas night and used rope to pull an 11-year-old boy out after his family’s auto was swept away near Pinson, about 24 kilometres northeast of Birmingham.