Tornado Devastates Area

CANTON—National Weather Service crews from Fort Worth were in Van Zandt County Thursday morning to assess damages made by storms that came through the area Wednesday night, and said it was in fact an EF2 Tornado with winds of up to 120 miles an hour that touched down.

In a press conference at the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office late Thursday morning, VZC Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck Allen said, "We have had several tornados come through our county in the last four or five years, but by far I believe this is the most devastating storm that has come through here in years."

Allen said that shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon the National Weather Service in Fort Worth placed Van Zandt County under a Tornado Watch.

"They said the conditions were ripening real quickly for some tornadic weather to possibly affect our county," Allen said.

At 4:30 p.m. the National Weather Service contacted the county saying they were seeing some developing storms and "they told us to get our spotters ready," Allen said.

"I was headed towards my residence and made a call to the National Weather Service because I actually spotted a wall cloud several miles west of Canton," Allen said.

At 4:58 p.m. Van Zandt County was placed under a Tornado Warning by the National Weather Service and Allen said they were notified that there was a developing tornado nine miles west of Canton moving at an easterly direction.

"At 5:10 p.m. we had our first touch down as what appears to be a tornado," Allen said.

He said the tornado appears to have started west of State Highway 64 near the Sheriff’s Office and "appears to have taken a northwesterly direction."

Bill Bunting, head meteorologist at the Fort Worth Bureau of the National Weather Service said winter storms are not unusual.

Bunting explained that the path and convergence of the path, dopler radar and witness accounts are all taken into consideration when determining the classification of a tornado and whether or not it was one or multiple tornados.

"In this case there is not much question about what caused it," Bunting said. "It is a question of intensity and the exact dimensions in the path."

Bunting said National Weather Service teams were out throughout East Texas on Thursday assessing damages left in the path of this strong storm.

"When the final talley is put together, I think this is going to be one of the more significant January outbreaks in Texas history," Bunting said.

"It does point out if you don’t like Texas weather wait a few minutes," Bunting said with a smile. "This is just an illustration of how quickly weather can change."

He went on to say that tornadoes have been known to strike any time of the year and have been seen every month of the year.

"Severe weather happens anytime the atmospheric conditions come together, and sometimes it is in the dead of winter," Bunting said. "That is why it is important for folks to have a plan together and be ready to go year round."

The tornado touched down at State Highway 19 and Interstate 20 intersection causing some major damage to businesses, and continued to FM 1255 moving into the Sand Flat Community.

"Most of our severe damage is in the Sand Flat area," Allen said.

During Wednesday nights assessment all fire departments and law enforcement agencies assisted in trying to determine injuries and damage.

"We determined there were multiple homes either damaged or destroyed starting here in the city of Canton and moving northeast into the Sand Flat Community," he said.

Allen said St. Therese Catholic Church on Farm-to-Market 859 received roof damage along with some homes, and off FM 17 and VZCR 1215 the Starr Baptist Church was destroyed.

He reported that there is approximately 440 acres of devastation and approximately 30 homes have suffered some sort of damage.

Only one confirmed injury has been reported, which occurred Wednesday night, Allen said.

That person sought medical attention at a Tyler hospital and was later released.

The city of Canton activated their civil defense sirens as soon as the Tornado Warning was issued.

In all, Allen said approximately 50 structures are estimated damaged or destroyed throughout the county.

"Most people I talked to were home at the time and did escape injury," Allen said of the residents in the Sand Flat Community.

Although numerous 9-1-1 calls were received about people being trapped, Allen said when first responders arrived to those calls everyone appeared to be out and okay.

Many of the residents in the Sand Flat Community did not have homeowners insurance. Allen said after talking to the people many said they just couldn’t afford it.

"People are starting to pick up some of their personal belongings," Allen said. "We are making sure these people’s personal needs are being met."

"We are just trying to help these people pick up the pieces and thank the good Lord that nobody was critically injured," he added.

Anyone in need of assistance is urged to contact the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office at 903-567-4133.