Texas tornado warning: Video shows Walmart shoppers being dragged as South now faces flooding

A storm system that passed through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama overnight spawning multiple tornadoes left at least one person dead and 19 hospitalised.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the destruction “devastating”, and said it was a “miracle” that more people were not killed immediately.

Several videos and pictures captured on Monday night showed powerful tornadoes cause massive damage to RVs, houses and schools with one video showing a truck driver having near escape after getting tossed into air.

Another video also showed a tornado approaching a Walmart in Round Rock, not far from Austin, which forced customers to flee the oncoming twister.

At least one person was injured when they were dragged across the parking lot, according to footage.

An estimated 22 million people remained at risk of coming into the path of severe storms moving toward the north east on Tuesday.

Key points

• One person dead in Texas tornadoes - report

• Tornadoes ruins buildings, grounds flights and shuts highways in Texas and Oklahoma

• At least four injured as storms wreak havoc in Texas

Tuesday 22 March 2022 04:13 , Shweta Sharma

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the outbreak of tornadoes in Texas.

At least four injured as storms wreak havoc in Texas

Tuesday 22 March 2022 04:37 , Shweta Sharma

Tornadoes have left widespread misery in Texas, injuring at least four people, and the storm is now headed to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Tuesday.

About 80 homes and businesses in Jack County, west of Dallas, were damaged or totally destroyed due to a possible tornado, officials said.

In Jacksboro, the town’s high school and elementary school were in the destructive storm’s path and had their walls and roofs ripped off.

“It brought tears to my eyes,” school principal Starla Sanders told WFAA-TV in Dallas.

Several people were reported to be trapped in collapsed structures about 30 miles northeast of Jacksboro, near Bowie, and the damage was widespread.

City manager Bert Cunningham said the worst damage was east of the town, with as many as four entrapments reported. About four people suffered minor injuries.

‘Volatile’ tornado outbreak ruins buildings, grounds flights and shuts highways in Texas and Oklahoma

Tuesday 22 March 2022 04:43 , Shweta Sharma

A gathering tornado outbreak in Texas and Oklahoma is sowing chaos across Texas and Oklahoma, wrecking homes and shutting down highways and airports.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) warned on Monday evening that a severe storm system over the two Southern states had already spawned several tornadoes and had the potential to create more.

Read The Independent’s Io Dodds detailed report

‘Volatile’ tornado outbreak ruins buildings and grounds flights in Texas and Oklahoma

Pictures show damage caused by tornadoes outbreak in Texas

Tuesday 22 March 2022 04:56 , Shweta Sharma

The pictures from tornado-hit areas of Texas show roofs and walls of structures blown away by the impact and vehicles toppled on the road in the aftermath of devastating storms.

8,000 hurricane survivors living in temporary shelter under warning

Tuesday 22 March 2022 05:21 , Shweta Sharma

More than 8,000 households who are living in mobile homes and recreational vehicle trailers after surviving recent hurricanes, including Laura and Delta in 2020, have been warned to have an evacuation plan.

Fearing that these structures might not be able to withstand the expected weather, Louisiana’s federal and state authorities urged them to keep their cellphones on and fully charged, with the volume high and severe weather alerts enabled.

In a joint statement, the emergency agencies said floods might cause the most damage to these structures.

“Repeated bouts of heavy rainfall can occur over the same areas, increasing the risk for flooding,” the statement said. “Move to higher ground if you hear of flood warnings.”

“The danger is expected to be highest at night,” they added when nocturnal tornadoes would hit.

Watch a truck gets tossed into air after getting caught in tornado

Tuesday 22 March 2022 05:43 , Shweta Sharma

A video of a red truck getting caught in the tornado has been filmed by a storm chaser, Brian Emfinger, on Monday.

The video shows Mr Emfinger driving near the tornado as it whips up debris, when a truck appears and gets caught in the tornado.

The vehicle is tossed into the air and swirled on the ground by the winds before its occupant is able to drive it away.

In another video filmed by storm chaser Aron Jayjack a huge tornado ripping through the north of Taylor in Texas is caught on camera. The massive tornado with thunder and gusty winds packed with water swept the area as the storm chaser filmed the scenes, braving a possible impact.

Storm drifted to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama as warning issued

Tuesday 22 March 2022 06:14 , Shweta Sharma

After causing widespread destruction and injuries in Texas, the tornado outbreak is heading towards Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Forecasters have warned that the storms will trigger “a regional severe weather outbreak” in these areas while Mississippi is bracing for “strong tornadoes”.

“A regional severe weather outbreak, including potential for strong tornadoes, is possible today into this evening over the Lower Mississippi Valley and central Gulf Coast states,” the Storm Prediction Center said.

For Wednesday, the weather service warned of potential tornadoes, electrical storms, softball-sized hail and winds in excess of 60mph for much of the South and Mid-Atlantic.

NWS tornado-tracking service extends red warning

Tuesday 22 March 2022 06:15 , Shweta Sharma

A tornado warning has been extended to Waskom and Leigh cities of Texas till 1.14 am on Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service’s tornado tracking unit has been updating the warnings for the towns through the night.

Follow the updates by NWS to know real-time updates for your area.

Texas governor says Williamson County hit by multiple tornadoes

Tuesday 22 March 2022 06:56 , Shweta Sharma

Greg Abbott said the state is standing “shoulder to shoulder” with people who were hit by devastating tornadoes.

He held a joint press conference with Williamson County judge Bill Gravel and acknowleged “there’s people whose lives have been completely interrupted”.

He said no casualities have been reported so far, describing it as a miracle.

He said that he has already allocated state resources for recovery and placed a disaster declaration for the Williamson County.

Almost 60,000 Texas resident suffer power outages

Tuesday 22 March 2022 07:14 , Shweta Sharma

Extensive power outages are being reported in Texas with 50,894 households suffering cuts after tornadoes swept the central state, according to outage tracking website Poweroutage.

Almost 10,000 people were hit by power outages in Oklahoma where the storms did significant damage, as well as 5,000 Arkansas.

One person dead in Texas tornadoes - report

Tuesday 22 March 2022 08:17 , Shweta Sharma

A person has been reported dead in the Sherwood Shores areas of Grayson County, according to TV station KTEN quoting local officials.

The number of injuries in the storm that hit Texas on Monday has also risen, with at least seven people rushed to hospitals.

The county was under a “severe thunderstorm warning” from 7.17 pm to 8.00 pm on Monday and an emergency shelter was opened at at First Baptist Church in Whitesboro for those who would be impacted by the storm.

NWS issue warning for significant flash flooding till Tuesday

Tuesday 22 March 2022 09:00 , Shweta Sharma

Southeast regions are bracing for “significant flash flood and severe weather” until Tuesday with rain of 3-5 inches contributing flooding.

“There is a flood and severe weather risk Wednesday with less widespread and significant impacts expected,” the NWS predicted.

There is also substantial risk of heavy wind gusts, hail, and frequent lightening, meteorologists said.

The weather service in Houston said that parts of Texas can receive rain up to four inches through Tuesday evening with possible street flooding in some areas.

Aerial video shows tornado ripping roofs and uprooting trees

Tuesday 22 March 2022 10:00 , Shweta Sharma

Aerial video captured of the storm sweeping through a neighbourhood in Elgin, about 25 miles east of Austin, shows a wild tornado ripping roofs and walls off structures in the area.

The video captured by storm chaser Brian Emfinger showed the winds uprooting big trees and tossing them.

Powerful tornadoes are shown pounding the area, with debris seen being thrown into the air

Sharing the video, NSW New Orleans said the video is the example how mobile home is not a safe space during a tornado.

“The mobile home is completely destroyed while the single family home later in the video experiences damage, but is not destroyed. One scenario is survivable, and the other is not.” it added.

Schools damaged in Jacksboro, Texas

Tuesday 22 March 2022 10:40 , Gino Spocchia

In Jacksboro, a town bout 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth, the worst of the damage was on North Main Street on Monday night.

Two schools, the Jacksboro high school and elementary school, were badly damaged by the tornados with roofs blown away, according to KXAS. Images also showed damage the high school gym.

FEMA mobile homes classed as government property

Tuesday 22 March 2022 11:00 , Gino Spocchia

Almost 2,000 households were living in temporary mobile homes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when the storms hit the southern US on Monday night and Tuesday morning.

The homes, which were installed following hurricanes Laura, Delta and Ida between 2020 and 2021, are classed as government property and cannot be removed, FEMA states.

FEMA has also advised anybody living in state-owned temporary housing to keep their mobile phones fully charged and switched on to keep informed.

Video shows people fleeing Walmart outside Austin

Tuesday 22 March 2022 11:25 , Gino Spocchia

Customers of a Walmart in Round Rock, a suburb of Austin, Texas, were forced to flee oncoming tornadoes on Monday as storms approached the city.

One video seen on social media showed the tornadoes approaching the Round Rock Walmart parking lot, with people shouting “run, run, run, run”. Debris could also be seen flying through the air.

Another customer meanwhile said she was “dragged across the Walmart parking lot” by storms winds, and shared images of her injuries on Twitter.

Texans flee for cover as tornado touches down in Round Rock

Warnings still in place for southern US

Tuesday 22 March 2022 11:45 , Gino Spocchia

The National Weather Service (NWS) has continued to issue warnings of further storm winds and tornadoes on Tuesday morning, with an area stretching from coastal and southeast Texas into much of western and northern Louisiana still at risk.

In an update on Tuesday, the NWS storm prediction centre said “damaging winds” and “isolated” tornadoes were still possible, and that the situation could change.

As are parts of the lower Mississippi Valley at risk of severe thunderstorms, hail, strong winds and isolated tornadoes into Tuesday.

Rain falls on Austin amid flash flood warning

Tuesday 22 March 2022 12:00 , Gino Spocchia

The Austin metro area was under a flood alerting warning on Tuesday morning following tornadoes and strong winds overnight.

The National Weather Service said flash flooding was possible south and east of Austin, with low lying and urban areas most at risk.

People were advised to remain alert and to “move to higher ground if you hear of flood warnings”.

Reports meanwhile said 3.5 inches of rain have fallen.

Three states under flood watch until Tuesday evening

Tuesday 22 March 2022 12:20 , Megan Sheets

The National Weather Service in Memphis has issued a warning for flooding into Tuesday evening for western Tennessee and eastern Arkansas into northern Mississippi.

The warning states that two to four inches of rain will likely lead to the “flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.“

“You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings,” the warning adds. “Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.”

Active tornado watch in parts of Texas and Louisiana

Tuesday 22 March 2022 12:35 , Megan Sheets

A tornado watch is in effect for parts of southeastern Texas and Louisiana until 2pm local time on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

It comes as several other states brace for heavy rains that could bring flash flooding.

Williamson County employee hailed a hero for shielding nieces

Tuesday 22 March 2022 12:50 , Megan Sheets

An employee for Williamson County, Texas, where at least two tornadoes were reported, has been hailed a hero for protecting her family as their home was destroyed.

County Judge Bill Gravell shared the story of the unnamed employee at a news conference alongside Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday night.

“From the story that was conveyed to me, she literally laid her body over her nieces to protect them, and they all went to the hospital and got checked out,” he said, according to the Austin American-Statesman. “All of them are alive and well.”

Tornado watch in Houston area

Tuesday 22 March 2022 13:00 , Megan Sheets

A tornado watch is now in effect in Harris County, which includes Houston.

Residents were warned at around 7am Tuesday that severe thunderstorms could spawn twisters in the highly-populated area.

A special marine warning was also issued along the coast.

Texans begin surveying damage

Tuesday 22 March 2022 13:20 , Megan Sheets

Austin-area residents who had tornadoes rip through their neighbourhoods on Monday evening are now beginning to see the full extent of the damage.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott had urged those affected to wait until morning to begin surveying the wreckage.

“Do not endanger yourself by trying to rush in and try to save something now,” he said at a news conference on Monday night.

“When you have a tornado rip through a community you are going to have downed power lines, and those are going to be deadly dangerous.”

ICYMI: Truck is tossed by tornado before calmly driving off

Tuesday 22 March 2022 13:35 , Megan Sheets

A video of a pickup truck being tossed by a tornado before continuing on its way has gone viral as viewers share their shock that the driver appeared uninjured.

The footage recorded by storm chaser Brian Emfinger shows a twister cutting across a Texas highway on Monday, where it encountered the red truck.

Swirling winds knock the vehicle on its side before it lands upright and continues driving as if nothing happened.

The video has been viewed more than 2.1 million times in less than 10 hours.

Driver tells how she narrowly escaped van before it was wrecked by twister

Tuesday 22 March 2022 13:50 , Megan Sheets

A woman who was driving her camper van van when a tornado swept through Round Rock, Texas, has described her narrow escape before the vehicle was overturned by winds.

Liz Creason, who had been living in the camper van for several weeks, told AccuWeather correspondent Bill Wadell she began looking for shelter as soon as she saw severe weather warnings on Monday.

She ultimately stopped at a Walmart and fled inside, knowing she didn’t want to be in the truck when the tornado arrived.

Ms Creason was unharmed but her van was flipped by powerful winds.

“I’m just so thankful to be alive and that I had the foresight to have the stuff ready because if my jacket and shoes weren’t right there, I just kind of stumbled putting them on and that delayed me but if I had to go digging for a jacket or something and another second went by I don’t know what would have happened,” she told Mr Wadell.

Thousands remain without power after Texas storms

Tuesday 22 March 2022 14:04 , Megan Sheets

Thousands of people in Texas remained without electricity on Tuesday morning after powerful storms and tornadoes knocked out power lines.

More than 60,500 homes and businesses were without power as of 9am local time Tuesday, according to PowerOutage.us.

Houston and Madison counties appeared to have been hit hardest by the outages.

At least 19 people hospitalised in Texas

Tuesday 22 March 2022 14:15 , Megan Sheets

While only one death has been confirmed so far, at least 19 people have been hospitalised following Monday’s storms, according to local reports.

Ten hospitalisations were reported in Grayson County and nine in Jackson County, according to their respective emergency management offices.

Dozens of buildings sustained damage in the storms, with the true toll still emerging.

Aerial photos capture destruction in Round Rock

Tuesday 22 March 2022 14:30 , Megan Sheets

New aerial photos captured by a drone on Tuesday morning offer a harrowing glimpse of the destruction wrought by tornadoes in Round Rock, Texas.

Harrowing map shows storm risk across six states

Tuesday 22 March 2022 14:52 , Megan Sheets

A new prediction map shows six states in the crosshairs of severe weather.

Residents of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Missouri are at moderate risk of tornadoes, high winds and hail on Tuesday, the National Weather Service map shows.

WATCH: Shoppers run for shelter as tornado strikes Walmart parking lot

Tuesday 22 March 2022 15:10 , Megan Sheets

Terrifying video captured shoppers running into a Walmart for shelter as a twister ripped through the store’s parking lot in Round Rock, Texas, on Monday afternoon.

The building and people who made it inside appeared to be unscathed while dozens of cars in the lot sustained massive damage.

Twitter users react to wild video of truck caught in twister

Tuesday 22 March 2022 15:25 , Megan Sheets

Video of a pickup truck being tossed by a twister has gone viral as Twitter users share their shock that the driver appeared to survive unscathed.

The footage shot by storm chaser Brian Emfinger shows a twister cutting across a highway and knocking the truck on its side.

The truck ultimately landed upright and drove off, drawing bewilderment from viewers.

The Independent’s Johanna Chisholm has more:

Video shows truck getting flipped in Texas tornado before driving off

Shoppers sprint for shelter inside Texas Walmart

Tuesday 22 March 2022 16:38 , Megan Sheets

Wild video captured customers fleeing for shelter inside a Walmart as a tornado ripped through the store’s parking lot.

A severe storm system tore across Texas and several neighbouring states on Monday evening, leveling dozens of buildings and leaving at least one person dead.

The Austin area appeared to suffer the brunt of the damage as twisters touched down during rush hour.

One tornado wrought havoc on the parking lot of a Walmart in Round Rock, where an employee filmed video of shoppers racing inside.

“Get inside! Get inside! Run! Run! Run!” the man is heard screaming. “Get away from the windows.”

The Independent’s Megan Sheets has more:

Shoppers sprint for shelter inside Texas Walmart as tornado rips through parking lot

Southeast Louisiana under tornado watch until 7pm

Tuesday 22 March 2022 16:55 , Megan Sheets

A large part of southeast Louisiana has been placed under a tornado watch until 7pm local time Tuesday.

The National Weather Service warned storms could spawn tornados, winds of up to 75 miles per hour and hail the size of golf balls.

“We have all the right ingredients for severe weather,” NWS meteorologist Julie Lesko said. “Plenty of moisture from the Gulf, saturating through all levels of the atmosphere, combined with lots of atmospheric lift ahead of a very strong cold front. We also have a very strong jet stream aloft to enhance the storms, causing the air to want to rise.”

Whats the difference between a tornado warning and watch?

Tuesday 22 March 2022 17:33 , Megan Sheets

With large parts of the southern US currently on alert, here’s how the National Weather Service defines a tornado watch versus tornado warning:

Watch: “Be Prepared! Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Review and discuss your emergency plans and check supplies and your safe room. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching. Acting early helps to save lives! Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center for counties where tornadoes may occur. The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states.”

Warning: “Take Action! A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle, or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Warnings are issued by your local forecast office. Warnings typically encompass a much smaller area (around the size of a city or small county) that may be impacted by a tornado identified by a forecaster on radar or by a trained spotter/law enforcement who is watching the storm.”

Miracle as only one person injured in mobile home flipped by twister

Tuesday 22 March 2022 17:50 , Megan Sheets

Only one person was injured when a mobile home tossed into the air by a tornado in Elgin, Texas, on Monday.

Elgin Mayor Ron Ramirez shared the uplifting news with KVUE on Tuesday as residents of his town began sifting through the wreckage of their homes.

Tornado reported in Mississippi

Tuesday 22 March 2022 18:04 , Megan Sheets

The National Weather Service has reportedly confirmed a tornado touched down in Mississippi just before 1pm local time Tuesday.

The twister was said to have formed between Canton and Pickens as officials keep a close watch on storms throughout the state.