Mineral Wells tornado upgraded to EF-3 by National Weather Service

MINERAL WELLS, Texas - Mineral Wells was one of the hardest hit areas during Tuesday night’s storms. 

According to the National Weather Service, an EF-3 tornado hit the city, causing heartbreaking damage.

Mineral Wells Storm Damage

What's new:

A National Weather Service Fort Worth survey team confirmed an EF-3 tornado was the cause of the damage sustained in Mineral Wells on Tuesday evening.

Winds of up to 145 miles per hour were observed during the storm.

The tornado's rating could change once the NWS finalizes their review of the tornado.

What we know:

City officials held a news conference on Wednesday morning to discuss the extent of the damage and plans for recovery.

Fire Chief Ryan Dunn said the National Weather Service had initially given the tornado a preliminary rating of an EF-2, but it was upgraded to an EF-3 rating later in the day.

Officials are still asking people to avoid the area because they said it’s not safe. 

"We do not need or want extra traffic through here until we let our utility companies get in, get everything under control, do their assessments and make sure that the area is clear. And then we can move on to debris and chainsaws and recovery efforts and those kinds of things," said Mineral Wells Mayor Reagan Johnson.

The city is still working to determine when displaced residents will be able to return.

"We have been working strategically with Oncor, and what we’re going to try to do is take it section by section. And once those sections are cleared of all hazards, we’ll start letting residents and commercial business owners back into their area," Chief Dunn said.

Police Chief Tim Denison said a curfew remains in effect from 8 p.m. on Wednesday to 6 a.m. on Thursday.

As for injuries, a total of five people ended up being transported to the hospital, and a few others refused treatment. The most severely injured person suffered a possible hip fracture. All of the victims are expected to recover.

What they're saying:

"I think we are most grateful for no loss of life in this event yesterday," Mayor Johnson said. "When you see the destruction that’s here, you can tell that that’s really amazing."

The mayor compared the cleanup efforts to Texans doing what Texans do best.

"The mutual aid, the outpouring of neighbors, everyone wanting to help has been overwhelming," she said. "Everybody’s been really great about, ‘What can I do to help?’"

What you can do:

The city is working on an online link for monetary donations to help those who were affected.

Mineral Wells Tornado

The backstory:

Communities across North Texas experienced very scary conditions on Tuesday night when strong storms blew through the area.

The industrial region of Mineral Wells was badly hit, with entire warehouses leveled. Other homes and buildings suffered significant damage with roofs ripped off and debris scattered everywhere. 

The NWS confirmed a tornado touched down around 5 p.m. along Highway 180.

Authorities used drones to track the path of destruction from the northeast side of the Country Club Estates community southeast to the National Vietnam War Museum.

There were no fatalities reported but authorities said several people were taken to the hospital.

Mineral Wells police asked people to avoid the area because there could be hidden dangers among the debris.

The American Red Cross set up in the cafeteria at Mineral Wells High School for anyone in need.