At least 11 die in Texas tornadoes; 5 in Illinois flooding
GARLAND, Texas (AP) — At least 11 people died and dozens were injured in apparently strong tornadoes that swept through the Dallas area and caused substantial damage this weekend, while five people died in a flash flood in Illinois.
The full extent of damage along a nearly 40-mile stretch near Dallas isn't yet known, though there were reports of storms and tornadoes blowing the roofs off homes, mangling vehicles, damaging churches, downing power lines and toppling trees.
Homes in the neighborhood that had been searched by emergency responders were marked with a black "X." In some instances, it looked like homes had been picked up and set back down in a big pile.
State troopers were blocking off roads, utility crews were restoring power and people walking around hushed and dazed.
On the other side of Texas, a snowstorm accompanied by plunging temperatures, was expected to leave up to 16 inches of snow in West Texas, much of New Mexico and parts of northwest Oklahoma through Sunday evening, according to NWS meteorologist Brendon Rubin-Oster in College Park, Maryland.
Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said the snow caused 178 weather-related accidents by Saturday night, with about 58 involving people with injuries.
A southwestern Illinois coroner said three adults and two children drowned when the vehicle they were riding in was swept away and sank in a rain-swollen creek at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday.