3COM Weather Report: Severe storms batter south Texas
Reuters - Posted at 6:40 p.m. PST Tuesday, February 10, 1998
HOUSTON -- At least 1,300 buildings were damaged Tuesday when
tornadoes, hail and high winds swept across southern Texas.
Several minor injuries were reported in the Houston area, but officials
said they knew of no deaths caused by the fierce thunderstorms.
In Devine, about 200 miles west of Houston, baseball-size hail piled up
a foot high on the ground. Wind gusts up to a 100 miles per hour were
reported in the area.
''Hardly any tree in Devine has any leaves left on it. The streets that
are normally paved streets are coated with green (leaves),'' said area
resident Bob Roberts.
''A lot of people's houses have windows broken. A lot of signs on the
street, a lot of trees are down,'' said Sylvia Luna, an employee at the
Devine Dairy Queen restaurant.
The Red Cross, which opened an emergency shelter in Devine, said
1,300 buildings were damaged in the town.
In Houston, area utilities said almost 100,000 people were left without
electricity when the storms crossed the city, bringing heavy rains and
high winds.
Several small tornadoes were sighted as they dipped down, knocked
over signs and swept the roofs off dozens of buildings.
''It started skipping and I seen tin flying. It looked like a tail spinning,''
said Beverly Murray, a security guard at an apartment complex struck
by a twister.
Houston emergency services director David Persse said there were
only two people with minor injuries at the badly damaged apartments.
''I think we're all actually very lucky. There's a lot of damage to the
building, and fortunately nobody appears to be badly injured,'' he told
reporters.
A tornado was sighted in southern Louisiana as the storms moved east,
but there were no reports of injuries, officials said.
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