Five dead as others 'trapped' near Valley View

At least five people died after a tornado struck Texas Saturday evening, authorities said.

The tornado was confirmed near Valley View in Cooke County Saturday evening before crossing into northern Denton County, triggering tornado warnings. The storm hit a mobile home and manufactured home community south of Valley View and west of Interstate 35, Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington said on the Weather Channel. on Sunday

“Search and rescue is still ongoing,” Sappington said. “We currently have five confirmed deaths and, unfortunately, I think that number will increase.”

Most of the deaths occurred at FRF Estates, a mobile home and trailer park, Sappington told reporters. He said children were among the dead and at least two other children were missing, according to local television station WFAA.

Sappington also said up to 80 people were injured when the storm hit the AP Travel Center in Valley View, and urged people to stay away while relief efforts continue.

“We have a lot of people there, a lot of first responders here,” he said, according to WFAA. “It would really help if people would stay away now and give us a few hours to complete our search and rescue. I know some people were out of the area and trying to get back, but it's dangerous out there- down. The power lines are Gas leaks have been reported. It's just dangerous right now. Just give us some time to do what we need to do.

News week contacted Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office by email for comment Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, firefighters in Denton, a city north of Fort Worth, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that four emergency responders were responding to a site to help “multiple victims, some reported trapped.”

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Fort Worth issued a message to X around 10:30 p.m., warning those in the direct path of a possible tornado.

“SEEK SHELTER NOW!!! Era and Valley View in the direct path of this possible tornado. A strong tornado could develop quickly,” the message said.

Minutes later, another message also warned people to seek shelter. “Tornado observed on observation video moving east. Will soon cross I-35 between Valley View and Sanger.”

The latest NWS forecast indicates that an “organized storm system over the central United States is responsible for numerous thunderstorms” from Kansas and Missouri to the Edwards Plateau in Texas.

“The current storms are expected to gain strength and coalesce into a larger thunderstorm complex by morning, while moving across parts of Missouri, Illinois, western Kentucky and neighboring states “, the NWS said on its website on Sunday. “Damaging wind gusts, large hail and tornadoes are possible.”

The forecast also warns that “overwhelming and potentially dangerous” heat is also expected to continue for at least the next few days in parts of South Texas, the Lower Mississippi Valley and South Florida.