Staff Report
Spring thunderstorms raked across Marion County last night soaking residents with heavy rain while the Western end of the county also suffered tornados.
Widespread rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches have already fallen across portions of the region through 2:40 a.m. this morning according to the National Weather Service out of Shreveport. Additional rainfall of 2-4 inches is expected through the afternoon.
Details are few yet on the extent of the damage in Ore City and Lone Star, but a number of homes were damaged including the homes of Mary Spearmon and Rabbi Linda Guiterrez. Spearmon, who lives in Lone Star, had the roof torn off her home, and Guiterez’s home, in Ore City, was “hit very bad” according to reports. Neither the Spearmon or Guiterrez or their family were hurt.
Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur announced a Disaster Declaration early Tuesday morning. The declaration continues for seven days unless renewed by the Commissioners Court.
Upshur Rural Electric advised people not to drive the area of Bob White Road, south of 154, due to extensive damage and power lines being down.
According to LaFleur, no fatalities had been reported in either Marion or Upshur Counties as of noon Tuesday. However, as of Tuesday evening, LaFleur said 15 homes of Marion County residents had been destroyed. The families include Ardinn Black, Shirley Washington, Adryien Black, Jerald Hill, Alecia Hopkins, Freddie Simmons, Terry Hill, and Buck More.
East Texas Performing Arts announced via FaceBook they are planning a benefit concert to raise funds to help the families affected by the tornados. The event is still in the planning stages, and details will be announced as they become available.
“This type of event hurts us all,” said Jimplecute co-publisher Hugh Lewis. “But, now is the time for us, the residents of Marion County, to do what we do best — come together and help our neighbors.”
Lewis continued that if anyone knows of those affected by the storms to please let the Jimplecute know so a list can be compiled to help as many as possible, as quickly as possible. Lewis asked that responses be sent to the Jimplecute via email to the paper directly at jeffersonjimplecute@gmail.com.
Marion County has been included in a disaster declaration encompassing 16 counties that were affected by the storm system that killed a 73-year-old woman in Grayson County before moving east.
The National Weather Service received reports of 20 tornadoes throughout Texas and Oklahoma on Monday.
Abbott signed the disaster declaration after speaking at a press conference at Faith Community Hospital in Jacksboro.
The disaster declaration unlocks state resources to address relief from storm damages and includes the following counties: Bastrop, Cass, Cooke, Grayson, Guadalupe, Houston, Jack, Madison, Marion, Montague, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Upshur, Williamson and Wise.
Monday’s storms came just before the beginning of peak tornado season in Texas, which runs from April to June
This is the second disaster declaration that Abbott issued in a week. On Friday, the governor signed a disaster declaration for 11 counties over wildfires spreading across the state, fueled by high winds and dry conditions.