March 29 (UPI) -- Damaging thunderstorms struck Texas coastal areas early Thursday, with powerful winds tearing off rooftops and downing trees and power lines.
Forecasters said high winds from a possible tornado tore off roofs and blew out windows at several homes in Woodsboro, a town about 30 miles north of Corpus Christi.
Another likely tornado destroyed the second floor of a home in Holiday Beach, leading to rescues of seven people, officials said.
Calhoun County emergency management reported other homes damaged from a possible tornado in Seadrift. The high winds also downed power lines in Corpus Christi.
Related
In Houston, tornado warnings were issued for north Harris County and wind shear grounded aircraft at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport for a short time just after 6 a.m.
The storms also dumped massive amounts of rain, leaving residents bracing for more flooding as high water covered roadways and filled up rivers.
The Trinity River at Liberty is projected to rise through the weekend and may cause severe flooding on Saturday and Sunday. The West Fork of the San Jacinto River was expected to exceed its banks Thursday morning, Harris County officials said.
Houston residents were hit with massive flooding last year when Tropical Storm Harvey produced enough rain to put the city at a stand-still while thousands of water rescues were performed.
Storms flooded roadways Wednesday and prompted water rescues in Point Blank and in San Marcos at the campus of Texas State University. Officials said an apartment complex parking garage flooded and submerged several vehicles.
No serious injuries were reported.
