Four people are dead and dozens injured after deadly tornadoes tore through Texas and Florida Thursday night.
Three of the deaths were in the Texas Panhandle while the other occurred in Florida after a tornado caused a tree to fall on a mobile home in Pensacola, killing the woman inside. Officials said at least three people were dead in Perryton, Texas after a tornado passed through the town of about 8,500 people.
According to Ochiltree County Sheriff Terry Bouchard, two of the victims, Becky Randall and Cindy Brangrove, were women in their 60s, while the third victim was 11-year-old Matthew Ramirez. Ramirez was discovered in a trailer park while Randall was located in a print shop and Brangrove at a food bank. Ruben Villegas, 64, is still missing in the aftermath of the tornado which reportedly destroyed 200 homes.
Ochiltree General Hospital spokeswoman Amie Marrufo said that the hospital had treated 115 people for cuts, lacerations, and minor head injuries, Fox Weather reported.
“We’ve been very, very thankful for our local counties and hospitals for coming to our aid,” she said. “We’ve been blessed for a lot of good help. Luckily, this small town comes together when we need to.”
The Perryton Fire Department posted pictures of the destruction to Facebook, saying that the fire department “took a direct hit.”
“Keep praying for Perryton. We were hit hard! Tornado on ground for at least 1 mile and 1/4 mile wide,” the department posted. “Lives have been lost, and many homes and businesses lost! The Fire Department took a direct hit, our trucks and ambulances are driveable! We have a lot of work in the days ahead to heal our community!”
In response to the destruction, Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) activated the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to help Perryton and asked for prayers for those impacted by the tornadoes.
“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,” Abbott said in a statement. “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.”
In the coming days, more severe weather is expected to impact multiple states including New Jersey, Virginia, Mississippi, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, and Florida.