Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of residents in Dallas had no electricity early Monday after a storm that brought a major tornado to one of Texas' most populous cities and damaged a number of homes, officials said.
The twister Sunday cut a wide swath of damage north of downtown Dallas. There were also reports of tornado damage in Sachse, to the east.
The twister destroyed multiple homes in Richardson, northeast of downtown Dallas.
"It's like a war zone, a disaster," Richardson resident Gizaw Gedlu said. "It's gone. It's unbelievable
A grocery store and Home Depot in Lake Highlands closed after receiving damage from the tornado, and an industrial building collapsed. Numerous roofs were damaged and windows blown out.
Utility Oncor reported 55,000 customers without power late Monday morning in neighborhoods that were littered with downed lines and tree limbs that blocked major roads. At the height of the storm, winds knocked out electricity to 100,000 customers. Power to dozens of traffic signals was still out Monday morning, the city said.
The tornado touched down near Dallas Love Field Sunday and moved east to northeast. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth said Sunday the tornado touched north of Interstate 635. The NWS said it will conduct storm surveys Monday and Tuesday to determine the intensity of the tornado.
No deaths or injuries were reported by early Monday. A gas leak was reported in the Walnut Hill area, CNN reported.
Schools in the area also received damage from the storm, forcing several to close Monday. The city opened a shelter at a Dallas recreation center Monday.
