March 29 (UPI) -- The National Weather Service warned severe weather including hail, damaging winds, heavy rain, flash floods and tornadoes was move eastward through Texas and Oklahoma on Wednesday after causing damage overnight.
The weather system damaged several houses in Rockwall, Texas, overnight but no injuries were reported. Nearly every home in the Dalton Ranch community was damaged by strong winds, WFAA-TV in Dallas reported. At least five homes were destroyed and the roofs of several homes were ripped off.
More than 212,000 people were left without power throughout Texas due to the severe weather on Wednesday. Electricity was gradually being restored to affected areas or has already been restored.
The NWS said the severe weather system will move into the Ark-La-Tex U.S. socioeconomic region, where the borders of Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma meet and there is a population of more than 1 million people. The largest cities in that area are Shreveport, La.; Tyler, Longview, and Texarkana, Texas; and Texarkana, Ark.
The NWS issued a flash flood warning in southeast Oklahoma and warned the region's residents of the storm system.
Hail up to 3 inches wide was found on the ground in Seymour, Texas, Tuesday night. In El Reno, Okla., winds gusts up to 95 mph were recorded, which could be responsible for two overturned semi-trucks on a highway outside of El Reno.
"Numerous strong to severe thunderstorms will develop across ... Ark-La-Tex on Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night, with the threat for damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, hail and locally heavy rainfall possible," the NWS said in a statement. "Large hail and damaging winds will be the primary threat by Thursday morning. Showers and thunderstorms increase in coverage again on Sunday and Sunday night with the threat for additional severe thunderstorms."
Three storm chasers died in a two-vehicle collision about 5 miles west of Spur, Texas, on Tuesday, Texas Department of Public Safety official Sgt. John Gonzalez said.
Gonzales said the driver of a Suburban, identified as Kelley Gene Williamson, 57, of Cassville, Mo., was ejected out of the vehicle after he went through a stop sign and collided with storm chaser Corbin Lee Jaeger, 25, of Peoria, Ariz., who was driving a black Jeep. Williamson's passenger, fellow storm chaser Randall Delane Yarnall, 55, of Cassville, also died. All three men were killed on impact. Williamson did not wear a seat belt but Yarnall and Jaeger did, Gonzales said.
A tornado was reported in the vicinity at about the same time of the crash, KCEN reported.
Jeff Piotrowski, a prominent storm chaser, tweeted his condolences for his fallen colleagues. He said he was at the scene
"Extremely bad news west of Spur TX," Piotrowski wrote. "Tragedy strikes our community once again."
Williamson and Yarnall were contractors for the Weather Channel and they were featured on the show "Storm Wranglers."
"This afternoon we learned that three people died in a car accident in Texas, including two contractors for the Weather Channel, Kelley Williamson and Randy Yarnall," the Weather Channel said in a statement. "Kelley and Randy were beloved members of the weather community. We are saddened by this loss and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and loved ones of all involved."
