Commercial Properties Suffer Significant Damage As Storms Rip Through North Texas
Commercial properties across DFW sustained extensive damage Tuesday morning after hurricane-force winds tore through the Metroplex.
Severe thunderstorms began at around 6 a.m., with baseball-sized hail and powerful gusts of wind taking out trees and power lines. Buildings in the path of the storm suffered a range of damage, from shattered windows to collapsed roofs.
Winds were recorded at up to 80 miles per hour, equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane or EF-0 tornado. More than 800,000 residents were without power as of midday, with the majority of affected residents located in Dallas County.
Power lines were sparking in the severe storms in Dallas early this morning. Widespread power outages have been reported across North Texas.
— WFAA (@wfaa) May 28, 2024
Damage: https://t.co/qVXm9TCLX7
Outage map: https://t.co/XUKRfW8Klh
Video: Lauren Campagna Ragan pic.twitter.com/kXZNx6t5Ia
Workers spent hours clearing debris from Galleria Road in North Dallas after strong gusts of wind dislodged pieces of the roof from 4851 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, a 12-story, 192K SF office tower that houses Sunwest Communications, NAI Robert Lynn, Mohr Capital and others.
On the east side of the Metroplex, Kaufman County was hammered with rain and wind, causing a partial collapse of a Madix Inc. warehouse off Airport Road in Terrell.
Storm Damage (Terrell) A large commercial warehouse along Airport Road has sustained major damage after strong winds/potential tornado. pic.twitter.com/NGo5OjSV5D
— DFW Scanner (@DFWscanner) May 28, 2024
Fencing and scaffolding were damaged at Grand Prairie Stadium, prompting the International Cricket Council to call off the opening match of the T20 World Cup between the U.S. and Canada, BBC News reported.
The storm comes just days after a tornado killed seven people, including a mother and two children, and destroyed 320 buildings in Cooke and Denton counties. A powerful derecho ripped through Houston last week, causing seven fatalities and leaving behind up to $7B of commercial property damage.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins signed a disaster declaration Tuesday afternoon that will open up the region to emergency relief funds.
Another round of severe weather is headed for the region Tuesday evening, USA Today reported. Thunderstorms are expected to continue through the week.
