This home in Eagle Pass, Texas, was damaged by the April 24, 2007, tornado. Photo: Earl Armstrong, FEMA
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has sent two members of the National Response Team, Harvey Howell and Sue Hyde, to help respond to the tornado damage in South Texas. One Great Hour of Sharing funds will also be available to the presbyteries of Palo Duro and Mission to assist in disaster recovery.
At least six people were killed and dozens injured Tuesday night, April 24, 2007, when a tornado touched down near Eagle Pass, Texas, a small town near the Mexican border.
At least 90 homes appear to be destroyed. Tornadoes and/or damaging winds were reported from Denton County, in north central Texas, to Maverick County, at the Texas/Mexico border.
Damage to mobile homes in Maverick and Denton Counties appears to be pervasive. Four of the six victims near Eagle Pass were discovered in the twisted wreckage of a mobile home.
These storms follow on the heels of 11 reported tornadoes in Texas over the weekend . The city of Cactus, with a population of approximately 3,000, reports that most homes and businesses sustained damages. In Tulia (Swisher County), two tornadoes were sighted. The initial damage listed 20 mobile homes destroyed. Several businesses were also reported destroyed.
Poverty is common in south Texas, with as much as 30 percent of Maverick County below the federal benchmark. As school damage seems extensive, some children may face greater food insecurity programs without access to lunch programs. More than nine out of 10 homes in the area speak a language other than English, which may indicate a reluctance to ask for help or trust government outreach.
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