In the early hours of Wednesday night, a twister struck Matador, a petite town with a population of almost 800 individuals situated in the northeastern direction of Lubbock. This devastating event resulted in the unfortunate loss of four lives and left nine individuals wounded.
Multiple intense storms caused the occurrence of a tornado in the area. A video captured by a storm chaser from the local area revealed extensive destruction in a small town located in the Texas Rolling Plains. Mayor Pat Smith of Matador informed CBS News that rescue teams were working to free individuals trapped under debris and had also transported some deceased individuals.
At the medical center, one of the wounded individuals passed away. Through emergency medical services, seven out of the 10 injured individuals were taken to hospitals in Lubbock when initial responders arrived at the location. The cyclone hit at approximately 8 p.M., Rendering it challenging to promptly evaluate the complete scope of the destruction. A total of three individuals lost their lives.
Her family promptly sought shelter in the basement upon hearing the faint sound of sirens. Since she didn’t observe anything on the radar, she presumed it was either hail or rain when she noticed the ominous darkness in the northern sky while returning home with her daughter, Nicki Dempsey.
Dempsey remembered, “It seemed as though a cargo train was approaching our residence.” “As I heard it being torn off,” I mentioned at a certain moment, “The back porch is being taken away.”
Dempsey said that the whole ordeal took around three or two minutes, but it felt much longer. The family and Dempsey were standing on the side of the basement, where the ceiling of the garage above could still be seen, despite the debris and rain covering the stairs. The tornado didn’t stop at her back porch, tearing off the roof of their home and exposing the basement to the storm.
Dempsey uttered, “We lingered for a couple of minutes until we noticed that the heavens were azure, thus we maneuvered all the belongings to the periphery as skillfully as possible and ascended to the pinnacle of the staircase.” “In order to exit, we had to forcibly open the door as all the items from the kitchen had been hurled against it.”
The Dempsey family lost half of their home at the end of the storm. On Thursday, they were still trying to salvage what they could by digging through the remains. While they are grateful to be alive and for all the donations flowing into town, she would like to see more plastic totes donated so that families can keep their belongings in a safe place. However, she fears that their home will be torn down.
Derek Delgado, the public information officer for Lubbock Fire Rescue, stated that in one disaster, there has never been such a collaboration of agencies working together. He mentioned that numerous state and local agencies have dispatched their police, fire, and EMS resources to assist with search and rescue operations in Matador, Motley County.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a declaration of emergency in response to the Matador tornado.
The declaration of a disaster was made due to the occurrence of recent extreme weather, encompassing a grand total of 21 counties in Texas. This declaration now incorporates the following additional five counties: Motley, Fisher, Jones, Kent, Nolan, and Stonewall.
Delgado stated, “Not only does it have a physical effect as it completely destroyed the infrastructure, but the economic impact is something that will be highly significant.” “Matador, being an extremely tiny town, was completely devastated as it obliterated vehicles, structures, and residences.”
The deadly tornado struck the town of Panhandle, killing less than three people and injuring over 100 others. The destruction that came after another week was devastating.
The region has experienced scorching, three-digit temperatures for a number of days. A tornado wiped out a substation, resulting in a power outage for the entire town. First responders are currently focused on removing debris and restoring electricity by the weekend. According to Sgt. Johnny Bures from the Texas Department of Public Safety, residents in Matador had only a brief amount of time to find shelter.
Bures expressed, “Therefore, communicate with your neighbors and ensure that they possess functional services so that they do not fall ill or encounter more severe consequences.” “Considering that these individuals reside in rural areas, their ability to stay cool will be significantly challenged without electricity, especially while they are attempting to gather all their possessions.”
Delgado stated that the tornado seems to have struck the western part of the town and moved forcefully towards the southern side. Texas A&M Task Force 1 is currently performing additional searches within the town and will subsequently evaluate the extent of the destruction.
“Bures stated that prior to commencing the process of relocating the fragmented components and initiating the reconstruction phase, our priority is to ensure thorough removal of all debris. The Texas Task Force is present to guarantee that we have diligently cleared every fragment possible, leaving no individual behind.”
On Wednesday night, Jayton was also issued a tornado warning. The National Weather Service in Lubbock reported wind gusts of 100 miles per hour and hail the size of softballs in nearby towns like Jayton. Jayton is located approximately 62 miles south of Matador.
Annette Hollinsworth, who lives in Roaring Springs nearby, owns a consignment store called Matador. She was standing still in her business, grateful to see the community donations and the outpouring of help that relieved her. She was offering clothes to anyone in need.
Hollinsworth mentioned that there are people from different cities who have come to help with the removal of debris or any other duties they may be needed for.
The town’s public access was blocked by DPS officers by Thursday afternoon. Billie Dean’s Restaurant, one of the limited dining establishments in the area, suffered significant damage, along with the destruction of gas stations and homes, leading to extensive harm to the town.
The Texas West Community Foundation has created a relief fund for the survivors of the Matador tornado. Those who donate to the fund can also contribute through any branch of State Happy Bank. Hollinsworth, the Matador spokesperson, stated that the foundation now needs money to help the survivors recover and has received many donated supplies.