- A powerful storm system took aim at the Gulf Coast on Tuesday
- A tornado caused damage near Houston with wind of up to 100 miles per hour
- Videos showed extensive damage with downed power lines and debris fields
- The National Weather Service had issued a tornado emergency for that area
By STEPHEN M. LEPORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and ASSOCIATED PRESS
A powerful storm system took aim at the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, spawning a tornado that downed utility poles and power lines, overturned vehicles and ripped roofs off homes in communities east of Houston with wind of up to 100 miles per hour.
Videos showed extensive damage with downed power lines and debris fields running miles wide throughout the Texas suburbs and destroyed buildings, including an animal shelter.
The National Weather Service had issued a tornado emergency for that area, warning that a ‘large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly tornado’ was on the ground Tuesday afternoon and was headed toward Baytown, about 25 miles east of Houston. The warning expired as the system moved to the east.
There were downed power lines and damage to homes and businesses in Baytown, but no reports of serious injuries, said Baytown spokesperson Jason Calder.
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A powerful storm system took aim at the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, spawning a tornado that caused damage east of Houston with wind of up to 100 miles per hours
Extensive #tornado damage in Deer Park, TX after search and rescue mode @accuweather pic.twitter.com/OXcuXIbmpL— Reed Timmer, PhD (@ReedTimmerAccu) January 24, 2023
Footage from Houston TV station KTRK showed damage to buildings and power lines in Pasadena, a city southeast of Houston, including doors knocked off a Harley-Davidson dealership.
Several businesses suffered major damage, including the city’s animal shelter. Nearby, fences were laid over and shingles and sections of roofs were torn from homes, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Shell Chemicals´ site in nearby Deer Park was flaring, or burning off natural gas, after it lost steam because of severe weather, according to Shell spokesperson Curtis Smith.
‘We are taking steps to minimize any noise, light, or smoke associated with this activity, though it’s expected to continue until the units are restarted,’ Smith said via email.
‘There is no threat to the community, nor are there any indications a nearby tornado touched down within the Chemicals facility.’
The website PowerOutage.us, which collects live power outage data from utilities across the United States, reported about 123,000 Texas customers were without power Tuesday afternoon, mostly in the Houston area and surrounding counties.
An animal shelter in Pasadena announced that it was destroyed by the extreme weather.
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A camping trailer sits in a retention pond where a tornado was reported to pass along Mickey Gilley Blvd., near Fairmont Parkway, Tuesday, January 24, 2023, in Pasadena, Texas
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Radar shows the tornado activity near the Houston area and throughout the southwest
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Drone footage shows the extent of the damage in one house just southeast of Houston
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Couple heading to pick up their daughter from school stops to help a driver stuck in an overturned truck at Fairmont and the Beltway
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Downed power lines and signs were seen everywhere off of Spencer Highway near Deer Park
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Tornado damage along Spencer Highway about a mile east of Beltway 8 near Houston
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Videos showed extensive damage with downed power lines and debris fields running miles wide throughout the Texas suburbs and destroyed buildings, including an animal shelter
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The National Weather Service had issued a tornado emergency for that area, warning that a ‘large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly tornado’ was on the ground Tuesday afternoon and was headed toward Baytown, about 25 miles east of Houston. The warning expired as the system moved to the east
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There were downed power lines and damage to homes and businesses in Baytown, but no reports of serious injuries, said Baytown spokesperson Jason Calder
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Footage from Houston TV station KTRK showed damage to buildings and power lines in Pasadena, a city southeast of Houston, including doors knocked off a Harley-Davidson dealership
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Several businesses suffered major damage, including the city’s animal shelter. Nearby, fences were laid over and shingles and sections of roofs were torn from homes, but there were no immediate reports of injuries
Pasadena’s animal shelter wrote a Facebook note confirming the building had been destroyed and asking for help relocating the animals
‘We have a volunteer heading there now to see how we can help but all of the dogs are going to need a safe place. If you have any room (even in your garage) and have the heart to open your home to any of these poor animals now is the time to step up! This is going to take the rescue village!’
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A camping trailer sits in a retention pond where a tornado was reported to pass along Mickey Gilley Blvd., near Fairmont Parkway
