Home / Disasters and Accidents / Van Tornado: EF-3 Strikes East Texas, Kills Two
Van Tornado: EF-3 Strikes East Texas, Kills Two
17 Jul
Summary
- EF-3 tornado with 140 mph winds struck Van, Texas.
- Two people died and 43 were injured in the storm.
- All missing persons have been accounted for after the tornado.
An EF-3 tornado, packing estimated peak wind speeds of 140 mph, tore through Van, Texas, on Sunday, resulting in two fatalities and injuring 43 residents. Officials confirmed Monday that all individuals initially reported missing have since been located. Search and rescue teams, including canine units, diligently scoured the hardest-hit areas, marking cleared structures with an orange 'X' to signify thorough searches of debris piles.
Approximately 30 percent of Van sustained damage, ranging from destroyed homes to downed power lines and uprooted trees. Residents are working to salvage belongings amidst the devastation, with community support evident through aid from church groups and neighbors. Fortunately, schools in the path of the tornado were empty at the time of the strike, and utility companies are working to restore essential services.
In the broader context of severe weather in northern Texas over the past week, the Van tornado brings the total death toll to five. Previous incidents included flash flooding and other tornado strikes in Gainesville, Cisco, and Corsicana. Meanwhile, a separate likely tornado caused damage near Denton, though no injuries were reported there.
