A powerful storm suspected of spawning a tornado has caused significant damage in Wharton County.
WHARTON COUNTY, Texas — A powerful storm early Thursday left behind significant damage in Wharton County, with residents and local officials suspecting a tornado may have touched down.
On County Road 166, one of the hardest-hit areas, a home was reduced to debris. Furniture lay exposed to the rain, and a large section of the structure was destroyed.
KHOU 11’s Stephen Goin reported from the scene that a lot of the residents he talked to believed that a tornado came through.
The homeowner, who lives in Stafford, said it was a weekend home he had just finished remodeling. The damage included parts of the house that were blown off the foundation.
The homeowner said he just finished remodeling the inside, and he was going to repaint the outside.
Another nearby structure was also damaged, and the destruction extended to other properties along County Road 166.
The Texas Department of Emergency Management was there to assess the damage. Officials were seen going door to door in the neighborhood wearing high-visibility vests, speaking with residents and surveying affected homes.
At 3:25 a.m., the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for east central Wharton County and southwestern Fort Bend County. A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Wharton, moving north at 15 mph.
Officials are still working to determine whether a tornado officially touched down, but residents remain convinced, given the scope of destruction.
Stay with KHOU 11 for the latest on storm recovery efforts and official updates from emergency management.