Rescue crews are searching through the rubble of homes and businesses torn apart by a tornado that ripped through the Dallas area without warning as one person has been confirmed dead in Arkansas after the storm moved to the northeast.
The tornado struck Dallas at about 9pm on Sunday night with devastating 111mph winds.
Devastating aerial footage has since emerged showing the destruction caused by the storm.
There were no reports of fatalities in Texas early Monday morning but search crews say multiple people were hospitalized for injuries.
Tens of thousands of people were without electricity following the storm.
One person died in northwest Arkansas when a tree fell on a home in Rogers, about 300 miles northeast of Dallas.
Devastating aerial footage has since emerged showing the destruction caused by the tornado after it touched down in Dallas on Sunday night without warning
Crews searched Monday through the rubble of homes and businesses torn apart by a tornado that ripped through the Dallas area the night before
The tornado struck Dallas at about 9pm on Sunday night with devastating 111mph winds
Tornado warnings were in effect on Monday morning in far eastern Arkansas near the Mississippi River as the storm system moved to the east.
Areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee could see severe thunderstorms later on Monday.
In Texas, heavy damage was reported in northwest Dallas and Richardson. Nearly 140,000 electric customers were without power as of 4am Monday, according to Oncor’s online outage map. The electric utility said storms across East Texas had caused significant damage to power lines.
Around 65,000 of the affected electric customers were within Dallas, according to the city, which said it would open a shelter.
Crews searched through homes and businesses that were accessible for about six hours overnight, but were hampered by ‘limited access and lack of proper lighting,’ Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said.
A second set of teams were to resume search efforts in daylight.
Seven people escaped a structure that collapsed in northwest Dallas, but Dallas Fire-Rescue were searching to see if anyone was left inside.
WFAA-TV reported that a convenience store collapsed in the storm, but the clerk told the station that everyone who was inside made it out safely.
Evans said that the department had also received multiple calls from people injured in their homes by broken glass.
The Cambridge School Of Dallas severely damaged when the tornado touched down in the city on Sunday night
Rescue crews are searching through the rubble of homes and businesses torn apart by a tornado that ripped through the Dallas area without warning
Tens of thousands of people were without electricity following the storm that leveled homes and business across Dallas
There were no reports of fatalities in Texas early Monday morning but search crews say multiple people were hospitalized for injuries
On Twitter, Dallas Fire-Rescue said one of its own stations sustained significant damage during the storms overnight, and included photos that appeared to show a collapsed roof and debris. Evans said none of the firefighters at Station 41 were hurt, but said the roof was torn off by the high winds.
Former President George Bush and his wife Laura live in the area. A spokesperson confirmed that the first couple were not harmed in the tornado and said they sent their prayers to all who were.
Dallas Stars player Tyler Seguin said a home he owns was heavily damaged. The hockey player said on Twitter that he had moved to another home and that the damaged property was listed for sale. He wrote it’s ‘an extremely sad sight to see.’
A radio station, KNON-FM, went off the air as the studio suffered major damage from the tornado. Lew Morris, one of the hosts of ‘Reckless Rock Radio’ told The Associated Press in a Facebook message that the power at the station went out first, followed by the ‘distinctive whistle’ of a tornado within three minutes.
‘We then heard the building shaking and could hear the glass windows shattering everywhere along with debris banging around. We waited until all the noise died down,’ Morris said.
The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in Dallas on Sunday night, causing structural damage and knocking out electricity to thousands
A search and rescue team checks a home on Monday morning after a tornado hit the neighborhood in Richardson
Tracy Wallace looks at his missing roof after his home was hit by a tornado on Sunday night
A search and rescue dog and handler pause while checking homes as crews searched the rubble the morning after the tornado hit
Cars were overturned when the tornado struck on Sunday night. Rescue crews scoured the rubble of homes in the aftermath
‘We walked out to see the studio he was just broadcasting from destroyed.’
National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Godwin said the size and severity of the tornado won’t be known until crews arrive to survey the damage.
It is believed there may have been two or more tornadoes in north Texas.
North of Dallas, the city of Richardson said in a release that many roads ‘used by thousands of morning commuters’ will be closed while workers clear debris and repair downed traffic lights.
The city of Sachse, a northeast suburb of Dallas, said in a release that six houses were damaged from the storms, but no injuries were reported.
Citing extensive damage to campuses, the Dallas Independent School District canceled Monday classes at several schools.
In parts of southern Missouri, the severe weather toppled trees and power lines, damaging some homes and outbuildings.
The weather service said crews were headed out Monday morning to determine whether straight line winds or small tornadoes caused the damage.
Henry Ramirez, a member of Primera Iglesia Dallas, is consoled by his mother Maribel Morales as they survey severe damage to the Primeria Iglesia Dallas church
Extensive damage is seen at a Dallas Fire-Rescue station after it was struck by a tornado on Sunday night
The devastated fire station is seen in this photo shared by Dallas Fire-Rescue Department following the tornado
Damage to the KNON-FM radio station studio that hosts ‘Reckless Rock Radio’ is seen after a tornado touched down in Dallas, Texas, last night
Matt Younger (right) a pastor at Northway Church, embraces facilities associate Robert Lusk in their church’s severely damaged sanctuary after a tornado tore through North Dallas
National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Godwin said the size and severity of the tornado won’t be known until crews arrive to survey the damage