North Texas Tornadoes Kill 2, Displace 20 Families

A tornado-producing supercell killed at least two people and displaced at least 20 families across northern Texas late Saturday, leaving a trail of destroyed homes and blocked roadways as emergency crews worked through the night to reach the injured.

The storm hit hardest in Runaway Bay, a lakeside community about 45 miles northwest of Fort Worth, where the National Weather Service confirmed an EF-2 tornado with peak winds of 135 mph. At least one person died there, and numerous homes sustained major damage, according to Wise County Judge J.D. Clark, the county's chief executive.

"Access has been difficult due to blocked roadways and downed utilities, but crews have continued pushing forward to reach those in need," Clark said Sunday.

A second tornado — rated EF-1 with peak winds of 105 mph — struck the Springtown area roughly 30 miles northwest of Fort Worth. A second person died south of the city limits, according to Parker County Assistant Fire Chief David Pruitt. "One of the most significant ongoing challenges is the widespread power outage affecting many residents," Pruitt wrote in a statement.

The slow-moving supercell originated near Wichita Falls, close to the Oklahoma border, and tracked southeast through the region beginning around 10 p.m. Saturday, according to Patricia Sanchez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Fort Worth office. Weather service radar flagged a "potentially large and extremely dangerous" tornado near Azle — roughly 10 miles southeast of Springtown — at 10:14 p.m.

The death toll could rise as rescue crews continued clearing debris to access damaged structures Sunday.

For Treasure Coast residents, the outbreak is a stark reminder of the violent weather systems that peak-season storm tracks can push across the South and into Florida. Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties each carry active FEMA hazard mitigation plans that address tornado risk alongside hurricane preparedness. Local emergency managers review these plans annually before Atlantic hurricane season opens June 1. Residents are urged to confirm that household emergency kits are stocked and that NOAA weather radio alerts are enabled on all devices, particularly as spring storm activity intensifies across the Gulf states. The Indian River County Emergency Management Division and Martin County Emergency Management office both maintain 24-hour public hotlines for residents with preparedness questions.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.