Smith County Seeking State/Federal Aid Following Tornado

TYLER — Smith County Judge Joel Baker has penned a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott seeking state and/or federal aid following Sunday’s tornado and other storm activity. According to Judge Baker, about 35 homes were affected by the EF-1 twister and/or flooding, and roads and bridges sustained significant damage to the tune of $200,000. The roadways will remain closed for a prolonged period of time.

Roads affected by the storms:

– County Road 42
– County Road 411 (Between County Road 472 and Farm to Market Road 849)
– County Road 496 (From County Road 41 to County Road 497)
– County Road 499 (From County Road 41001 to County Road 498)

Judge Baker says Smith County does not have the funds available to make the needed repairs and provide relief to the residents. Additionally, the judge has himself declared a state of disaster in the county, effective immediately. The declaration says the Smith County Emergency Plan has been implemented and “that this state of disaster shall continue for a period of not more than seven days of the date hereof, unless the same is continued by consent of the Smith County Commissioners Court.”

According to a National Weather Service survey team scanning Northwest Smith County, a second tornado has been confirmed. KETK reports damage sustained north of the community of Jamestown is consistent with that of an EF-1 tornado, according to NWS officials. That tornado, however, is not associated with the twister that hit the City of Van. NWS says the tornado hit the community about 60 to 90 minutes after the one that struck Van. The twister descended on FM 1253, and the main area damaged was CR 462. The roof was ripped off a house, and two large pine trees fell on the center of another.