May Tornadoes Devastate North Texas, Resulting in Seven Deaths

Four tornadoes swept across the Dallas-Fort Worth area over the weekend, a common occurrence for this time of year. The severe storms resulted in seven fatalities, including four children, all from the Valley View area of Cooke County, as reported by NBCDFW.

The victims included Victor Ortiz, Laura Esparza, Miranda Esparza (15), Marco Esparza (9), Loyd Watson, and two other children, aged 2 and 5, whose names have not been released. Additionally, around 100 people sustained injuries. A GoFundMe campaign has been established for the Ortiz family.

The heavy storms continued into the week, causing widespread damage and power outages across North Texas. According to WFAA, the National Weather Service confirmed four tornadoes over the weekend. Two of these tornadoes received ratings: an EF-3 tornado northeast of Celina with winds up to 165 mph, and another EF-3 tornado, responsible for the fatalities, with winds up to 135 mph that impacted Montague, Cooke, and Denton counties.

The fatal tornado developed from a supercell thunderstorm in Montague County late on May 25, then moved through Cooke and Denton counties, causing extensive damage to trees, homes, cars, and a gas station.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that renters and homeowners in Collin, Cooke, Denton, and Montague counties are now eligible for assistance.

Including the recent events, North Texas has experienced nine tornadoes since January, surpassing the annual average of four. Historical data from the National Weather Service, dating back to 1950, shows that the region has endured a total of 286 tornadoes. The year 1995 holds the record for the most tornadoes with 23, followed by 2015 with 14.