By Emily Banks Wooten
[email protected]
A tornado warning for Polk and San Jacinto counties was issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) Houston/Galveston Office at 2:33 p.m. Monday afternoon after a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Point Blank, or 17 miles west of Livingston, moving northeast at 40 miles per hour.
Local residents were told to take cover, avoid windows and move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Anyone outside was urged to move to the closest substantial shelter to protect themselves from flying debris.
Polk County Emergency Management Coordinator Courtney Comstock emphasized Tuesday evening that the Polk County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is still collecting information and confirming reports.
“NWS communicated to me that radar indicated circulation at approximately 6,000 feet in Polk County near Lake Livingston and east/northeast of Leggett, but the OEM did not receive any reports of a tornado touchdown in these areas,” Comstock said, adding that reports of wind impacts received by the OEM were minimal, consisting of downed trees, limbs and power lines.
Anyone that may have experienced storm damage to their property during the severe weather that occurred Monday is encouraged to fill out a short survey – for informational purposes only – by the Polk County OEM. The survey may be found at https://forms.gle/kXNWXFh1C8X2GKfR7.
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