Road closures, power outages and more issues in wake of Tuesday storm in East Texas

EAST TEXAS (KLTV) - A tornado warning was issued for portions of Smith, Upshur, and Wood counties on Tuesday.

10:45 p.m. power outage update:

ONCOR:

Anderson: 5, 862

Angelina: 76

Cherokee: 2,243

Henderson: 2,459

Hopkins: 43

Hunt: 147

Rusk: 73

Smith 28, 261

Van Zandt 53

Nacogdoches: 363

SWEPCO:

Longview and surrounding areas: 68,109

10:15 p.m. update:

From Will Knous with CHRISTUS Mother Frances: During the severe weather across East Texas Tuesday evening, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler experienced minor cosmetic damage, with no injuries reported and no structural or safety issues. The clinical and security teams temporarily enacted our severe weather procedures in order to maintain the safety of our patients, visitors and Associates. The hospital is currently fully operational on generator power and we are working with the appropriate authorities to restore active service as soon as possible, however our high-quality patient care remains uninterrupted.

9:30 p.m. update: Officers with the Tyler Police Department are currently responding to numerous calls related to the weather. The City of Tyler’s street and signal departments have been notified of intersections without power and trees down in the roadway. ONCOR has been notified of power outages as well. Officers are in the process placing temporary traffic control devices at intersections with power outages and barricades on roadways with trees or powerlines down.

Drivers are highly encouraged to drive with caution due to trees and debris in the roadway. Drivers are to also treat intersections normally controlled by a traffic light as a four-way stop.

Power outages as of 9:30 p.m.

ONCOR:

Anderson: 2,510

Angelina: 40

Cherokee: 937

Henderson: 2, 086

Hopkins: 89

Hunt: 149

Smith30,027

Van Zandt 60

SWEPCO:

Longview and surrounding areas: 21,812

Reports of tree limbs down and power outages have begun to come in. Oncor is reporting multiple thousands of customers without power so far tonight. View the Oncor outage map here.

Good Shepherd School in Tyler has reports of numerous trees down on the property, and they will not have school tomorrow as a result, according to the headmistress, Tyne White.

According to Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks, there is extensive damage, mostly trees down, from a line primarily south and east of Highway 64 west of Tyler and 271 south of Gregg County.

Brooks said the biggest incidents right now are two wrecks due to trees in the road. The first is in the 12500 block of CR 168, the second is in the 14400 block of FM 346.

In the 10900 block of Knollwood Drive, a tree fell on a home.

Fortunately, Brooks said they haven’t received any reports of life threatening injuries in the county.

Reports of trees on homes, vehicles and roadways are coming in from across East Texas.

The Palestine Police Department said emergency crews are currently out checking on residents and assessing the damage from tonight’s storms. Multiple residences sustained damage, along with electricity lines around town. Trees are down in the roadway all over town.

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