Daylight shows extent of severe damage in Crockett, Texas due to tornado and storms

CROCKETT, Texas — Folks in the town of Crockett are dealing with the damage from a tornado and severe thunderstorms between Monday night and early Tuesday morning.

Around 9:30 Monday night, the National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in the east Houston County community, about 115 miles northeast of Houston.

RELATED: Tornado Watch for Houston-area counties until 8 a.m.; flood risk remains | Check storm timeline

There have been reports of injuries in Crockett, but KHOU 11 hasn’t been able to confirm how many people have been hurt or how bad the injuries are.

As the sun rose Tuesday, the extent of the damage was more clear: Homes and businesses destroyed; smashed vehicles; an overturned 18-wheeler; a boat lifted to dry land; uprooted trees; and debris everywhere. 

Downed power lines have blocked roads and left thousands of people without power. They’re also making it difficult for emergency crews to check homes for injuries.

Cell phone service has also been down for a lot of people.

The Crockett Civic Center is being used as an emergency shelter for residents that have lost their homes or had them damaged. Leaders at the center told KHOU 11 before that there were about 60 people, but several more have shown up since then.

Emergency services have been stretched thin. KHOU 11 reporter Matt Dougherty has tried to reach out to local police and the sheriff’s office multiple times but they are overwhelmed. 

Matt and photojournalist Ryan Phillips will have updates on KHOU 11 throughout the day.

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