Texas tornado causes damage east of Houston, no deaths reported
The tornado was reportedly headed toward Baytown, TX, after touching down Tuesday afternoon
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A powerful storm system took aim at the Texas Gulf Coast on Tuesday, spawning a tornado that caused severe damage east of Houston.
As for Tuesday evening, no casualties were reported at this time from the tornado touchdown.
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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An overturned truck during a tornado in Texas on Tuesday, January 24. (Harris County Sheriff Office)
GEORGIA STORM SPAWNS TORNADO THAT DAMAGED HOMES, TREES
The storm damaged commercial buildings, homes and power lines in nearby Pasadena, a city southeast of Houston. Utility poles and power lines were downed, and several vehicles, including a trailer, were damaged or flipped over in a parking lot.
The Pasadena Animal Shelter was destroyed by the storm, according to the Facebook post by Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harris County Sheriff Office assist the community during a tornado in Texas on Tuesday, January 24. (Harris County Sheriff Office)
Rescue vehicles help a driver who was stuck in an overturned tractor trailer. (Harris County Sheriff Office)
The Harris County Sheriff Office rescued a driver from a flipped 18-wheeler on HWY 225. (Harris County Sheriff Office)
In Baytown, there were downed power lines and damage to homes and businesses, but no reports of serious injuries, Baytown spokesperson Jason Calder said.
NEW ENGLAND HIT BY LATEST WINTER STORM
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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"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 Atascocita Fire Department reported it had dispatched an ambulance bus to respond to a structural collapse at a nursing home facility at Deer Park's San Jacinto Manor.
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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was the start of what's expected to be a stormy day along the Gulf Coast. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said areas along the coast from Houston to the Florida Panhandle could see tornadoes, strong winds and hail on Tuesday.
The storm system was also bringing snow and ice to much of the central U.S.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Schools and businesses were closed Tuesday and Wednesday across Oklahoma, which saw snowfall totals of between 1 and 6 inches (3 and 15 centimeters) across central and eastern parts of the state. Several school districts in southwest Louisiana dismissed students early Tuesday in anticipation of severe weather in the area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.