Houston Faces Tornadoes: One Life Lost, Travel Chaos

A series of tornadoes swept through the Houston area on Saturday, claiming one life in Brazoria County and injuring four others. This severe weather event happened during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, causing major disruptions at Texas's major airports. John Lichter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, reported that at least six tornadoes hit the area, with potential for more once the damage is fully assessed. The region had previously experienced tornado activity on Thursday in Wharton and Harris counties. Tornadoes in Gulf Coast states during winter can be particularly dangerous, making the timing of these storms especially concerning. Debris blocked roads in Porter Heights, highlighting the immediate impact of the storms. Governor Greg Abbott activated the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) in response to the severe weather threat across eastern Texas. In Brazoria County, around ten homes were damaged, with additional destruction reported in Katy and Porter Heights. Power outages affected over 45, 000 customers in Texas and 21, 000 in Louisiana, with Franklin County, Mississippi, reporting that 30 percent of utility customers were without power. Airports faced significant disruptions: Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport reported over 1, 000 affected flights, while Houston Bush Intercontinental had 604. Dallas Love Field also experienced disruptions to 222 flights. Resources are available for residents, including road condition monitoring at DriveTexas. org, flood information at TexasFlood. org, emergency preparedness guidance at tdem. texas. gov/prepare, and general safety tips at TexasReady. gov.