Tornado causes damage and power outages in Dallas

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in Dallas on Sunday night, causing structural damage and knocking out electricity to thousands.

Meteorologist Jason Godwin said radar confirmed the twister hit the ground near Love Field Airport and moved northeast through the city. There were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries as of 12:20 a.m. Monday, according to a release from the city of Dallas.

Local news outlets reported that several homes and businesses were damaged, power lines were downed and tree limbs were scattered across roadways. The city said there were reports of gas leaks north of Walnut Hill in north Dallas. Police and fire officials were assessing damaged structures.

An image made from video by Twitter user @AthenaRising shows the tornado in Rockwall, Texas, on Sunday.

(@AthenaRising via Associated Press)

Nearly 112,000 electric customers were without power as of 12:50 a.m., according to Oncor Electric Delivery Co.’s online outage map. About 60,000 of those customers were within Dallas, according to the city, which is opening a shelter by 2 a.m.

Seven people escaped a structure that collapsed in northwest Dallas, but the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department was searching to see if anyone was left inside, spokesman Jason Evans said. WFAA reported that a convenience store collapsed in the storm, but the clerk told the station that everyone who was inside made it out safely.

Evans said the department had also received multiple calls from people injured in their homes by broken glass.

Godwin said the size and severity of the tornado won’t be known until crews arrive to survey the damage.

The storm happened as multiple severe thunderstorm watches and warnings covered portions of four counties, including Dallas County, and more stormy weather was expected in the area overnight.

The city of Sachse, a northeast suburb of Dallas, said six houses “sustained significant high-wind damage after severe weather moved through the area Sunday night.” Four homes were left uninhabitable, but no injuries had been reported.

Dallas police said officers in one part of the city were going door to door to check on residents.

Matt Younger, right, a pastor at Northway Church, embraces facilities associate Robert Lusk in their church’s severely damaged sanctuary after a tornado tore through North Dallas.

(Jeffrey McWhorter/Associated Press)