Damage, power outages reported after storms roll through East Texas

EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - Law enforcement officers responded to reports of damage after severe thunderstorms moved through East Texas overnight.

Since midnight, storms produced 60-to-70 mph wind gusts, nickel- to quarter-size hail, heavy rain and intense lightning.

Various school districts have reported delayed starts or cancellations due to the storms and widespread power outages.

Crews are responding to an uprooted gas line in Smith County.

According to the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office, they are responding to 12373 Greenbriar Road where a tree uprooted a gas line. They are currently to get the line shut off.

Chapel Hill tree on a house.

We will continue to update as details become available.

preloaded gallery image

Early Thursday, an Exxon station on Texas Highway 31 near Brownsboro had its sign toppled by high winds. Debris was scattered through the parking lot and a gas pump was also damaged.

Extensive damage has been reported throughout the Chandler area. Trees and limbs were also down on several roadways in the Chandler area. Police say there is extensive damage on Bosque and Kickapoo Road.

Streetlights and a traffic light were affected by a power outage in the city of Alto in Cherokee County, where an earlier tornado on Saturday caused extensive damage.

Trey Carnley, a Chapel Hill resident, reported a fallen oak tree split his camper in two.

An oak tree fell and split a camper in two during the overnight storms in Chapel Hill (Source:... — An oak tree fell and split a camper in two during the overnight storms in Chapel Hill (Source: Trey Carnley)

Kilgore police is reporting several “high traffic” intersections are without power following an electrical equipment or transformer failure near the area of the State Highway 42 overpass.

A large portion of the central city area is experiencing a power outage due to an electrical equipment or transformer failure near the railroad tracks around the area of the State Highway 42 overpass. At this point, several high traffic intersections are without power. pic.twitter.com/5vaiSWufJu
— Kilgore Police (@KilgorePolice) April 18, 2019

The City of Gladewater has reported Shell Camp Road is closed due to flooding over the road. They ask motorists to seek alternative routes.

Smith County Road and Bridge crews are working to clear 19 county roads with downed trees. They include: 1148, 1150, 1151, 192, 1113, 1139, 1134, 1205, 1206, 1140, 196, 1141, 2103, 2161, 235, 337, 397, 437 and 438.

Tyler police reported power lines and tree are down in the roadways throughout southwest Tyler. Areas of concern included the 2900 block of Highway 2900 and the 6200 block of Old Noonday and Grande Boulevard.

UPDATE, 11:20 p.m.: Two of the most heavily damaged county roads, CR 1125 (Greenbriar Road) and CR 1113 (Lake Placid...
Posted by Smith County on Thursday, April 18, 2019

Tyler police reports all southbound traffic on Old Noonday is shut down south of Grande.

In Tyler, police responded to an overturned 18-wheeler on Farm to Market Road 206 and Highway 31. Officers at the scene said it appeared the vehicle was unoccupied when it was toppled by the wind.

As of 7:00 a.m., the 18-wheeler has been removed from the roadway.

Spur 364 is also blocked by a fallen tree and a major wreck at Loop 323 and the spur.

There is absolutely no access to spur 364 now. Right when you hit Lindsey Park, the Dixie fire department is having everybody take a U-turn because there’s trees down going east and west and a major wreck on the loop and the spur. Motorists have had to turn all the way around and head back to 31 and take a right towards Tyler.

Tyler police asks all motorists to treat any traffic lights that aren’t working as a 4-way stop or to look for officers directing traffic.

Utility providers are reporting widespread power outages across East Texas.

Trinity Valley Electric Co-op posted a notice to customers Thursday afternoon saying they expect power to be restored to all residents by 5 p.m.

“This morning’s storms were more intense out toward the east, with crews still working to restore power in the Brownsboro/Chandler area this afternoon. Here are some images of the type of damage that is being repaired. The current estimate is to have power restored to the remaining 282 members by 5 p.m. Any updates to that will be made as edits to the previous post for that outage,” the notice read.

This morning's storms were more intense out toward the east, with crews still working to restore power in the...
Posted by Trinity Valley Electric Co-op on Thursday, April 18, 2019

As of 11:30 a.m approximately 12,326 customers of Oncor, SWEPCO, Upshur Rural Electric, Trinity Valley Electric, Houston County Electric Cooperative, Wood County Electric Cooperative, and Sam Houston Electric Cooperative. This number reflects power restored to over 15,000 customers. The reported outages this morning were 27857 at 6:50 a.m.

Check with your provider for updates on restoration of service.

Copyright 2019 KLTV/KTRE. All rights reserved.