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Tornado rips through Matador, Texas overnight killing 4 people
The residents of a Texas Panhandle town were left combing through destruction left by what Lubbock officials are calling an “unprecedented” tornado that tore through the town Wednesday evening, June 21. Derek Delgado, spokesperson with Lubbock Fire and Rescue, said at a press conference Thursday morning, June 22, that a tornado touched down in Matador around 8 p.m. killing four people and injuring 10 others. This was the second deadly tornado in Texas in the last week, after a tornado hit Perryton on Thursday, June 15.
Delgado said that the tornado brought “high gusting, damaging winds” to the town. Among the homes and buildings that were destroyed, video, and photos posted online show a local Dollar General that was completely leveled by the tornado.
Another video posted to Twitter shows a mangled 18-wheeler overturned on the side of the road among the debris of other buildings that were destroyed Wednesday night.
TxDOT said on Twitter that State Highway 62, the main road that runs through Matador and west to the city of Floydada, was shut down so crews could clear debris from the road. TxDOT was warning people Thursday morning to be careful using the road outside of Matador as crews continue cleaning up.
Sgt. Johnny Bures with the Texas Department of Public Safety couldn’t provide an exact number of agencies that responded to the emergency on top of Lubbock Fire and Rescue. He said at the Thursday press conference that crews from as far as Waco have showed up to aid in the recovery.
Bures said power was still out in the city Thursday morning because a substation was down. He added that crews hope to restore power by Friday afternoon, June 23.
Four people dead
Bures said at the Thursday morning press conference that initial reports claimed three people died in the storm, but one more person later died at an area hospital. The identities and ages of those that died have not been officially released as of Thursday morning.
There were 10 people were treated for their injuries.
Where is Matador, Texas?
The small town of Matador is about 80 miles northeast of Lubbock on the Texas Panhandle. The town had a population of 569 people, according to 2020 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
See the map below.
“A town of this size, with such a small population — the amount of damage that they experienced, it’s not only physical damage, but the economical and emotional impact that it will have on this town is very significant,” Delgado said.