Three people were killed in Texas and Perryton after a devastating tornado swept through the city on Thursday, the fire chief told NewsChannel C. The storm sent 100 people to the hospital in the Texas Panhandle town with injuries ranging from head injuries to lacerations, the interim CEO of Ochiltree General Hospital told the media.
Escambia County officials said the county and Pensacola were affected by the overnight flooding emergency.
About 150 residents of an apartment complex in Pensacola were evacuated to a community center Friday amid rising waters, county officials said.
South of Pensacola and Warrington, nearly a foot of rain fell in just three hours. Radar estimates indicate 16 inches of rain fell overnight. A flood watch is in effect in these areas till 7 p.m.
Many of the areas that saw severe conditions on Thursday have seen a return of storms as a 2 out of 5 severe storm threat level remains for the South, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern Plains.
Tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds are possible in moderate-risk areas, including Little Rock, Alabama, Montgomery Arkansas, and Mobile. Jackson, Mississippi; Tallahassee and Florida.
A moderate, level 1 of 5 risk exists for South Dakota and parts of the Mid-Atlantic.
Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said the storm in Perryton damaged the homes and businesses of about 8,000 residents, including the local fire department and several mobile homes. has been damaged.
Perryton resident Jamie James told the news channel that he had to ride out the storm in his truck.
James's house is still standing, but the structure next to it has been destroyed. She said the storm was a devastating blow to the city where she has lived for 15 years.
According to Xcel Energy, the city's power was shut off for safety purposes.
Wes Reeves, a spokesman for Xcel Energy, said, "Transmission lines that provide electricity to the city continue to be damaged and many low-voltage distribution lines are down in the city.
“Xcel Energy personnel are working to ensure the safety of Perryton residents. An estimated restoration time is not yet available.
More than 220,000 homes and businesses in Texas were in the dark. In neighboring Louisiana, more than 130,000 homes were without power, and outages were also reported in Florida, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
State emergency resources have been deployed "to meet the needs of life in Perryton, Texas," according to a news release from Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office.
"We are ready to immediately provide the additional resources needed during this severe weather event," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in the statement. Resources from surrounding areas have flowed into the city to provide much-needed relief.
Officials from a neighboring city in Stinnett, Texas, began sending officers and EMS personnel. The sheriff's office in Hutchinson County — which includes Stinnett — dispatched rescues after the "devastating storm," according to the office's Facebook post.
Ochiltree General Hospital interim CEO Kelly Giudice said medical support also came from staff at nearby hospitals who helped 100 people after the storm.
"Some of them took the patients to their hospitals, most of the staff stayed and worked here," added O'Kelly-Judice.
On Thursday, four were in Oklahoma, two were in Texas and one in Michigan, according to the National Weather Service, with Perryton being the most significant.
The storm, which was confirmed by the NWS, cut off parts of Perryton.
"The storm affected the residents, the downtown, and then the industry," said storm chaser Brian Emfinger.
Brian Emfinger explained that he saw the most damage in the northwest part of the city.
About 300 people were sheltered inside Perryton High School on the city's northeast side after extensive damage was seen in the area, school athletic director and football coach Cole Underwood said.
"We have the skills to help people who have lost everything. ... You think about what you need, but people don't," he said. Everything is lost today.
U.S. Rep. Ronnie Jackson said the community needs help.
Do what you can to help your neighbors.
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