HOUSTON – The National Weather Service in Houston issued a Tornado Emergency for the first time in the office’s history Tuesday for a twister that tore the southeast side of the Houston metro area.
The tornado was reported by both spotters and was confirmed by radar, according to NWS officials.
Pictures and videos show the damage that was left behind.
Winds blew over a tractor-trailer on one of the city’s major interstates.
Residents of Pasadena, Texas, a suburb on the southeast side of Houston, have found buildings torn and pieces of them scattered across parking lots.
“In my 25 years here, this is probably the worst damage I’ve seen,” said a police officer at a press conference in Pasadena. “Just catastrophic.”
Winds damaged the Pasadena Animal shelter, said Pasadena police. A couple of dogs were injured. The shelter moved all 70 animals to another facility for safety.
Trees and power lines were littered across roads in the area. Nearly 120,000 customers lost power.
Video shows unrecognizable debris from a building or cars across parks. Listen to the echoing sirens as this man leaves work and shows the damage.
“The plant looks like it’s on fire blowing off, venting something,” he said about flames roaring out of what looks like a smokestack.
A Pasadena home lost a second-floor bedroom.
Near Deer Park, Texas, a bank drive-through was ravaged as tornadic winds squeezed through, stripping the roof.
Gas station canopies were no match for the storm.
The videographer said, “Totally destroyed this gas station.”
In some areas, 2-5 inches of rain fell, according to radar estimates. Panicked parents rushed to pick their kids up from school and had to drive through a river. Watch the wake of a passing car wash over the hood of another car.
This is a developing story. Please check back for the very latest pictures and storm chaser video.