HOUSTON (Texas) • Severe storms and a tornado swept through the US states of Oklahoma and Texas on Wednesday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens.
Emergency officials said three people were killed and at least 20 were injured when a tornado touched down in the Texas city of Onalaska, about 144km north of Houston.
Two people were also killed in southern Oklahoma while local media reported that a woman died in a storm in Louisiana.
"On April 22, a tornado struck the city of Onalaska and other portions of Polk and San Jacinto counties, and possibly even far eastern Walker County," Houston's National Weather Service (NWS) said.
The tornado touched down near Oklahoma's border with Texas around Wednesday evening.
NWS said it will be sending crews yesterday to survey the path of the "Onalaska tornado".
Polk County, where Onalaska is located, issued a declaration of disaster on Wednesday night.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement that the state had deployed response teams and medical resources to provide assistance.
"The state will continue to do everything it can to support those affected by this severe weather."
Several homes were damaged in the storms and thousands were left without power.
More than 7,000 people across Oklahoma and about 9,000 people in Onalaska faced power outages.
Images in local media showed the devastation caused by the storms, including damage to homes, downing of power lines and twisted billboards. The development comes as most Americans are under stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus pandemic.
REUTERS