Fatal tornadoes strike Texas and Mississippi, leaving 2 dead and 6 wounded
Multiple tornadoes swept through Texas and Mississippi on Saturday, claiming at least two lives and leaving six others injured while destroying homes and overturning vehicles.
A fatality was reported in the Liverpool region, positioned south of Houston, with four individuals sustaining non-life-threatening injuries, according to Madison Polston, representing the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office.
Polston reported "multiple points of touchdown" across the county spanning Liverpool, Hillcrest Village, and Alvin. She indicated approximately 10 homes had sustained damage, though officials were continuing to assess the full scope of destruction.
In Mississippi, Adams County recorded one death while Franklin County reported two injuries, confirmed by a Mississippi Emergency Management Agency representative. The National Weather Service confirmed two tornado touchdowns near Bude and Brandon, where several buildings lost their roofs.
"The storm system is expected to intensify significantly as it moves eastward through the evening and overnight hours," stated Josh Lichter, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
Initial assessments indicated at least six tornadoes touched down around Houston, though final numbers might increase once survey teams complete their ground assessment, Lichter noted. He reported damage from both tornadic activity and straight-line winds in the region.
In communities north of Houston, mobile homes suffered extensive damage or complete destruction in Katy and Porter Heights, where tornado forces also damaged a fire station's entrance doors, according to weather service reports. The weather system caused flight delays exceeding one hour at Houston's primary airports — Bush Intercontinental and Hobby — as reported by FlightAware.
Mississippi utility providers reported approximately 71,000 customers without electrical service, with expectations of increasing outages, according to Malary White, chief communications officer for the state's Emergency Management Agency.
The agency awaited official damage assessments but anticipated reports to arrive soon. White indicated emergency responders were prioritizing public safety and accounting for all residents.
"More comprehensive damage evaluations are expected to commence in the early morning," she stated.