HOUSTON (AP) — A tornado that raced through residential areas north of Houston damaged more than 100 homes, tearing off roofs, moving garages off their foundations and smashing windows, authorities in Texas said.
No injuries were reported in the storm Monday that uprooted trees, downed power lines and created paths of debris throughout some neighborhoods.
Heavy fog made it difficult to assess all the damage Tuesday morning, but calmer weather conditions were expected to prevail in the area. Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms were expected farther south during the day, considered one of the busiest travel days of the Thanksgiving holiday period. Rain and snow was in the forecast in other areas of the country closer to Thanksgiving, according to the National Weather Service.
Some people hunkered down in their homes and hid in closets during the Texas storm. More than 20,000 customers were without power at one point Monday.
“I had the door and I was trying to hold it shut so that nothing would end up in the house,” Miriam Harris told KTRK-TV. “It was so forceful.” She suffered roof and tree damage, and some of her holiday light display was mangled.
In Klein, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Houston, officials were working to fix multiple reported gas leaks, remove trees that were blocking roads, and clean up debris around homes and businesses, said Ja’Milla Lomas, a spokesperson for the Klein Fire Department. Damage also was reported in Cypress and Spring.
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One engine crew temporarily took shelter in a resident’s garage as high winds moved through the area, posted the Cy-Fair Fire Department, which represents a collection of stations throughout the Houston region.
Photos and drone video posted on Facebook by the Harris County Precinct 4 constable showed roofs with shingles ripped off. Some debris blocked roads.
The damage affected the Memorial Northwest neighborhood, according to the office of Mark Herman, the constable. There also were several weather-related vehicle crashes.
The Houston Fire Department dispatched five members of its saw team to cut up and remove toppled trees, spokesperson Rustin Rawlings said.
The weather service had issued a tornado watch for southeastern Texas, including Houston, until 1 a.m. Tuesday. It also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of southeastern Texas.
