A massive tornado swept through North Texas on May 25, wreaking extensive damage on the town of Celina, 43 miles north of Dallas — prompting Collin County judge Chris Hill to issue a disaster declaration.
According to a release, an unconfirmed F3 tornado struck Collin County, causing extensive damage in and near the city of Celina. Several homes have been completely destroyed, although there were no no fatalities.
Overnight, approximately 15,000 county residences were without power due to downed power lines. As of 11 am on May 26, that number had been reduced to 2,146 power outages.
Suspected tornadoes crossed central U.S., killing at least eight people, causing power outages, and forcing residents to shelter in-place on Memorial Day weekend, according to CNN. Areas affected included Cooke County, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas.
Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington told CNN that five fatalities were reported, including three in one household, and two children. A reported tornado hit a mobile home park and a Shell Station Travel Center.
In Denton County, a possible tornado caused injuries, damaged several homes, overturned 18-wheelers, downed trees, and knocked out power lines, while Lake Ray Roberts Marina in Sanger sustained damage to boats and boat houses.
Tornado havoc to a building in Denton.Denton Fire Dept.
Two women, Valenia Gill and Brenda Procter Dance, were driving through Cooke County in Valley View, at I-35 and FM 3002, at 10:45 pm and got caught in the middle, which they documented with a cell phone video which currently has 153 million views. (Brenda has kindly set up a GoFundme to help Gill repair the damage her car endured.)
"I am heartbroken from the reports of devastation sustained by our friends and neighbors in Collin County last night," said Judge Hill in a statement. "Our teams from Collin County, Celina, and partnering agencies worked throughout the night and will continue working throughout the day to clear the debris from roadways and to assess the damage to homes."
Residents in immediate need of supplies and resources may contact GraceBridge, a nonprofit serving the families of Celina. GraceBridge will be open today at 402 South Oklahoma Dr. in Celina to accept donations of essential supplies and resources for families in need.
The Salvation Army of North Texas has also established a presence in several areas affected by the storm, including Lake Ray Roberts Marina, Celina, and Valley View, with units equipped to deliver food, water, and basic comforts directly to first responders and those in need within devastated areas.
In collaboration with The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Service (EDS) team, the Salvation Army has mobilized three mobile kitchens from Lewisville, Fort Worth, and Sherman and a Rapid Response Unit from Irving to provide critical support to the affected communities.
Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog. Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas 