According to reporting by the Associated Press, at least 50 homes in Lamar County were damaged or destroyed and at least 10 people were being treated at hospitals, two were being treated with critical injuries. Powderly, Texas, which sits at the state’s border with Oklahoma was reportedly hit hard.
The Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management said a tornado touched down just after 4 p.m. and traveled north-northeast through the communities of Hopewell, Caviness, Beaver Creek, Paris and Powderly. Video shows a tornado southwest of New Boston.
Idabel, which is about 45 miles west of Powderly in Oklahoma, suffered “total devastation” on the east and south sides of the town, the Texarkana Gazette reported. The Associated Press reported that a church, medical center and school were “torn apart,” noting that people were still trapped late Friday. Tornados were also reported in Arkansas.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated state emergency response resources on Thursday, November 3, in anticipation of the severe weather. Abbott had not publicly responded to the devastation at the time of writing. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt toured Idabel on Saturday morning asking for prayers for all those affected by the tornadoes.
Here is a collection of frame grabs if New Boston, Texas #tornado. This tornado lifted debris up above 30,000 feet per radar when between Naples and Boston. NWS damage surveys will be out in force today. Our hearts go out to those impacted by this tornado outbreak pic.twitter.com/iZDvuGC7I0
#Texas 🇺🇸 (Nov. 4, 2022) 🌪️ Tornado toca tierra y deja graves daños en la pequeña ciudad de Powderly, en el Condado Lamar. pic.twitter.com/IIK4g8qbIR
— ?‘??’??’??’•?’??’??’??’??’?35 (@QuakeChaser35) November 5, 2022
Cason, #Texas#Tornado – Mt. Moriah Church & Hwy 49. I was first on the scene helping people under the debris that had serious injuries to the head where they were bleeding… People were screaming for help. This turned out to be the worst case scenario tonight across Texas. pic.twitter.com/21AHIx0O5L
— Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers (@ChicagoMWeather) November 5, 2022
Affected residents can make reports of hail, damaging wind, flooding, and tornadoes to the National Weather Service.