Tornadoes, Flooding: Death Toll Climbs as Plains Brace for More Storms
— -- A tornado ripped through a city on the U.S.-Mexico border today, killing at least 13 people, and more storms and flooding battered Texas and the souther Great Plains.
The tornadoes and flooding that forced at least 2,000 Texans from their homes came out of a line of storms that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes, dumping record rainfall on parts of the Plains and Midwest.
The deadly tornado that hit Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, just two miles from Laughlin Air Force base, was one of at least 15 reported today. It tore a baby from its mother's arms, ripped apart buildings, tossed cars and trucks around, in some cases leaving them standing on end.
In the flooding that hit parts of Texas, one driver had to be rescued as the surge of water swept away his SUV outside San Antonio. At least five people were killed, and 12 were missing as a result of flash floods along the Blanco River between Austin and San Antonio, officials said.
Among the dead was 14-year-old Damien Blade, who was found with his dog in a suburban Dallas storm drain. Investigators said they apparently had drowned but their investigation continues. According to police, Damien's family reported him missing about 10 p.m. Sunday after one of his two dogs showed up alone at the house, wet and extremely muddy.
The 12 people missing were all staying in a vacation home that was swept away by rushing floodwaters.
In the town of Wimberley alone, as many as 400 homes have been destroyed.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said after flying over the area today that the region looked like it had been hit by a tsunami.
"The area around the river, where these huge massive trees just mowed down, like grass that was mowed down by a lawn mower," he said. "You see how powerful the river flow has been."
The force of the water was so strong, that some homes that were in its path looked like they had been hit by a tornado.
Within a matter of hours, the Blanco River rose from 5 feet to more than 40 feet, and the flood came rushing with such force that it swept away a concrete bridge.
Abbott added 24 counties today to the list of those where he has declared a state of emergency, and he said that with more rain in the forecast, more counties could be on that list:
"The rain bands that span literally from south of the Rio Grande to north of the Red River have been relentless, day after day after day," he said.
The storms were blamed for three deaths Saturday and Sunday, including two in Oklahoma and one in Texas, where a man's body was recovered from a flooded area along the Blanco River.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
