Officials said Thursday their main concerns are keeping people safe and searching for those who may still be trapped in the rubble.
Officials said sirens warned people to shelter in place. At least three tornadoes touched down in North Texas, hop-scotching through the area. The twisters ripped up power lines, tossed cars and leveled hundreds of homes.
The hardest hit area was Granbury, about 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Six people were killed there when the tornadoes tore through two neighborhoods around 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Rescuers searched the rubble through the night for people who may be trapped, but their efforts were hampered by the darkness. Several dogs and cats were seen running loose and officials said they want to reunite people with their pets.
School buses were sent to the hardest hit areas to evacuate people from their neighborhoods and get them to safety.
Utilities said about 20,000 homes and businesses were without power early Thursday. Crews had to bring in heavy equipment to clear debris off roads.
The region is no stranger to destructive tornadoes, but these twisters are the deadliest to hit the U.S. this year.
