The storms demolished hundreds of buildings, with forecasters cautioning of further severe weather over the holiday weekend.
In Indiana, storms disrupted the scheduled start of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or Indy 500, the prestigious U.S. auto racing event typically held during the Memorial Day weekend.
Governor Greg Abbott revealed at a press briefing the following day that a powerful tornado had ravaged communities in north Texas near the Oklahoma border, resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals and leaving nearly 100 injured.
Among the casualties were two children, aged 2 and 5, from a single family residing in the small town of Valley View in Cooke County, which was heavily impacted by the tornado.
Over 200 homes and various other structures were reported as destroyed, while an additional 120 buildings sustained damage across a 50-mile stretch, according to Abbott.
As the tornado approached, dozens of motorists abandoned their vehicles on a highway and sought refuge at a nearby truck stop.
Governor Abbott reported that approximately 125 people took shelter inside the gas station as the tornado tore through the area, severely damaging the facility.
Fortunately, everyone inside survived, but rescue teams faced challenges in freeing scores of individuals who were trapped in the wreckage, a process that took about an hour.
Elizabeth Hernandez, who had sought shelter inside a restroom in the building, recounted her experience in an interview with Dallas television station WFAA, expressing disbelief that they had survived the ordeal.
“I was just waiting for it to pick us up or slam something on top of us,” she said. “I don’t know how that didn’t kill us.”
A National Weather Service official stated that the tornado that struck Valley View had wind speeds of up to 135 miles per hour. While multiple tornadoes affected the region, the exact number is still being determined.
As the extent of the disaster became clearer on Sunday, officials were concluding initial search and rescue operations, according to the governor.