A large tornado ripped across the southeast Texas town of Onalaska in
Polk County about 6 p.m. CDT Wednesday. Three people were killed and "20
to 30" were hurt, according to the Polk County Emergency Management
Agency. Ten subdivisions sustained damage in the town of about 1,800
people 75 miles north of Houston. Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy issued
a declaration of disaster. The storm moved east across Tyler, Jasper
and Newton counties before sliding into Louisiana.
Charles Stephens had to use a hatchet to free his wife and himself from
their damaged home on Lake Livingston in Onalaska after a giant pine
tree plunged through their roof. "It took me 45 minutes to climb through
the roof to get out," Stephens told the Houston Chronicle. The Weather
Channel meteorologist Mike Seidel reported that numerous homes were
destroyed on damaged in Onalaska.
-Full Report
