World | USA
10 killed along Texas and Mexico border
Ricardo Tijerina saw the sky darken and expected a typical spring storm to roll in.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 April 27, 2007
Eagle Pass, Texas: Ricardo Tijerina saw the sky darken and expected a typical spring storm to roll in.
"I saw some clouds, but I never imagined it was going to be that bad," said Tijerina, who suddenly found himself riding out a series of tornadoes on Tuesday night with his six children huddled under beds.
At least 10 people were killed in both this community and Piedras Negras, a town on the other side of the Mexican border. The storm killed two other people in Louisiana and Arkansas.
Neither Eagle Pass nor Piedras Negras had a siren warning system such as those that helped people evacuate before the same storm when it flooded streets and peeled roofs off homes in North Texas. No injuries were reported there.
After the tornado passed, neighbours poured into Eagle Pass's darkened streets, checking for anyone who needed help, said Eglanteina Alamillo, 20. "You could hear everyone was walking around and helping people get out of the trailers," she said.
Destroyed
The tornadoes cut a 10-square-kilometre swath through the rural community southeast of this city of 26,000 about 241 km southwest of San Antonio. Two empty elementary schools, a church, business and homes were destroyed, some cut open like dollhouses.
Maverick County Judge Jose Aranda said all residents on the Texas side of the border were accounted for, but that 50 to 200 families were left homeless.
A family of five was killed in Eagle Pass when the winds blew their mobile home across the street and into Rosita Valley Elementary School.
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