Six people lost their lives and several others have been reported missing in Granbury after multiple tornadoes passed through the Texas city on Wednesday night. Numerous people were injured, and many commercial and residential properties sustained significant damage in cities surrounding the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex as a result of the storms.
The National Weather Service estimated that as many as ten tornadoes touched down on Wednesday night, leaving a wake of destruction in their paths. Three tornadoes hit the small city of Granbury, one of which was estimated to have had wind speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. There was also a mile-wide tornado in Cleburne and grapefruit-sized hail in Mineral Wells.
Tornado warning sirens sounded in affected cities throughout the DFW Metroplex, and the National Weather Service radio warned those in areas where tornadoes had been sighted to take cover immediately, for the sake of their lives.
Pouring rain, heavy winds, lightning, and thunder prompted many to take safety precautions; some local residents hid in bathtubs, cushioning themselves with pillows for fear of falling debris, and a Dallas hospital issued a “Code Black,” where nurses are instructed to rush patients away from hospital windows.
Multiple flights were canceled at DFW International Airport because of the storms as well; Christian artist Kari Job, who resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, tweeted that the airport “looks like a war zone...cots and orange blankets everywhere for those who got stuck in the storms last night.”
Thousands of houses in Granbury lack power, and many people are in need of shelter. Several relief efforts have been put into place by Christian organizations. Among those helping, First Christian Church is offering counseling for those in distress, and St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church is providing blankets, food, and shelter for those in need.
