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At least 6 dead, 6 missing after tornadoes hit North Texas

17 May 2013 01:10 (UTC +04:00)

The U.S. National Weather Service gave a preliminary estimate of Wednesday night's twisters, saying a tornado in Granbury, a small town in Hood County, had wind speeds between 166 mph and 200 mph. Other tornadoes damaged nearby Cleburne and Millsap.

Granbury was the worst-hit, as the exceptionally powerful tornado tore through two neighborhoods around 8 p.m. Wednesday, according to local TV channel ABC13.

The National Weather Service's preliminary storm estimate was an EF-4, based on the Fujita tornado damage scale. An EF-5 is the most severe, according to the report.

The powerful storm reportedly crushed buildings into piles of planks and rubble. Trees and debris were scattered across yards, and fences were flattened.

All the confirmed dead were adults, said Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds.

Local officials said rescuers found some bodies in house and some around houses. Two of the storm victims were not even near their homes.

Seven people remained unaccounted for and authorities hope they are with family or friends, Deeds said at a news conference.

Thirty-seven people were treated at hospitals, Deeds said.

One of the neighborhoods, Rancho Brazos, had a significant number of Habitat for Humanity homes that were damaged, according to the report.

About 20,000 homes and businesses in the region were without power early Thursday due to the storms, the report said.

Cleburne Mayor Scott Cain said Thursday no one was killed or seriously hurt. However, seven people suffered minor injuries, and more than 150 homes were damaged and another 50 were destroyed. Another tornado swept the small town of Millsap. Roof damage was reported to several houses and a barn was destroyed, but no injuries were reported.