Irving tornado: 85 families displaced after EF-1 twister destroys apartment complex
Students and families displaced by Tuesday’s tornado in Irving are receiving some much-needed assistance as the cleanup and recovery continue.
IRVING, Texas – Students and families displaced by Tuesday’s tornado in Irving are receiving some much-needed assistance as the cleanup and recovery continue.
The backstory:
The National Weather Service confirmed that it was an EF-1 tornado that caused major damage in parts of the city of Irving.
Dozens of people were displaced after the tornado struck the Tree Country Apartments in the area of West Pioneer and North O’Connor.
De Zavala Middle School across the street and the Irving Family Advocacy Center one block over were both also heavily damaged.
About 85 families living at the apartment complex have been displaced and forced to start from scratch.
Several nonprofits have stepped up to help.
A brief EF-1 tornado was part of the storm that heavily damaged apartment buildings and businesses. It brought down several power lines and trees.
Local perspective:
Telma Rodriguez has lived at the apartments with her husband since 1990. She was allowed back inside the fenced-in perimeter to try and salvage any personal belongings she could find.
The couple’s future is uncertain. Rodriguez says she has to find a new place to live.
And she’s not alone.
At the Irving Schools Foundation, a nonprofit run by Irving ISD, staff members from several schools stopped by to collect food and supplies for students whose families were affected by the tornado.
Many of the students lived at the same apartment complex where Rodriguez lived.
Featured
Dust storms, tornado damage, and a temperature roller coaster—Spring in North Texas means big weather swings.
It’s across the street from de Zavala Middle School.
Principal Tiffany Williams says approximately 85 families were affected. Their needs vary.
“It’s very fluid right now because our families are still trying to figure out what they have and what they don’t have,” she said. “Right now, they’re just in need of basic supplies.”
Irving Schools Foundation President Crystal Scanio says Amazon sent extra pallets of items this week.
“With the tornadoes, our friends and partners really stepped in to provide everything our children need to make sure they feel comfortable and despite the act of God that happened to them they feel safe and taken care of,” she said.
And while those items are dispersed.
Back near the apartment complex, crews are working to replace utility poles snapped in half by the tornado.
People were also busy across the street at the Family Advocacy Center, clearing out files from the damaged building.
What’s next:
With Spring Break next week, the foundation is providing students with a double supply of food to help hold them over while classes are out.
What you can do:
The nonprofit says Amazon is supplying plenty of basic supplies for the affected families. Anyone who would like to help can make monetary donations or become a volunteer.
LINK: Irving Schools Foundation
The Source: Information in this article comes from interviews conducted by FOX 4 Reporter Alex Boyer and previous news coverage.
All the news you need to know, every day
By clicking Sign Up, I confirm
that I have read and agree
to the Privacy Policy
and Terms of Service.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX Television Stations
DAILY NEWSLETTER
Dallas weather: Storm cleanup, Irving tornado damage, weekend cold front with rain chances
Trending Now
85 families displaced after Irving tornado
Confirmed EF-1 tornado in Irving
10 injured during Saturday’s NCA All-Star National Championship in Downtown Dallas
Rapper G$ Lil Ronnie, his 5-year-old daughter killed in Forest Hill car wash shooting, family says
Forest Hill shooting: Rapper G$ Lil Ronnie, 5-year-old killed in targeted attack at car wash
Wise County tornado: 2nd EF-1 twister confirmed near Cottondale
G$ Lil Ronnie, daughter murdered: Police ID suspects in rapper’s shooting
News
Weather
Sports
Good Day
Latest Episodes
About Us
Regional News
Severe Thunderstorm Warning for 2 States As Hail and Lightning To Strike
Severe thunderstorm warnings were in place for parts of Texas and Oklahoma from the National Weather Service (NWS) early on Tuesday, with meteorologists highlighting the potential effects from hail and lightning.
Severe weather can cause hazardous flooding, road closures, power outages and possible property damage.
Those in impacted areas should stay informed through weather updates and be prepared to respond swiftly to emergency alerts.
The NWS forecast office for Fort Worth-Dallas warned that a powerful storm system was expected to bring thunderstorms to parts of the area late Monday night through Tuesday morning.
It said the main threats would be damaging straight-line winds and brief tornadoes. There was also a possibility of isolated patches of large hail, particularly around any storms that form ahead of or before the main line.
Residents in affected areas should prepared for potential disruptions to the Tuesday morning commute, it said.
As of early Tuesday morning, there were severe thunderstorm warnings, which the NWS issues “when severe thunderstorms are occurring or imminent,” in effect across the Fort Worth-Dallas area and extended northwards into south central Oklahoma.
Texas counties under the warning included Montague, Cooke, Grayson, Wise, Denton, Parker, Tarrant, Dallas, Hamilton, Coryell, Lampasas and Mills.
In Oklahoma, the NWS said warnings were in place in Johnston Garvin, Love, Carter, Pontotoc, Marshall and Murray Counties.
Penny-sized hail and 60 mph wind gusts were expected. The service warned residents to expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Tornado watches—issued when severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area—were also in place for northeast Texas and southeast Oklahoma.
AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham told Newsweek: “Areas of far eastern Texas can still feature a risk for severe thunderstorms until early afternoon, but the majority of the risk will focus across the lower Mississippi Valley and the South through the rest of today and into tonight as the line of storms races eastward.”
The NWS forecast office, Norman, Oklahoma said on X, formerly Twitter, Tuesday: “12:07 a.m.—Line of strong/severe storms continues to move across portions of OK and north TX. Hail, strong wind gusts, and potentially a few tornadoes will be possible with at least parts of this line as it moves east.”
NBC meteorologist Kevan Smith said on X: “10:18 p.m. Monday: Stay WEATHER AWARE for Tuesday morning as a line of thunderstorms move across North Texas. Damaging winds, large hail and a few tornadoes are possible.”
Fox 35 meteorologist Noah Bergren said on X: “The models were correct and BOOM the bomb-cyclone has gotten underway with blossoming severe storms in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The lightning is actually ridiculous with over 4,000 individual bolts estimated in the past half hour. Tornado Warnings have now come out. Nocturnal tornado risk OKC to Dallas heading into daybreak Tuesday local time.”
At the time of writing, the latest severe thunderstorm warnings were in place until 5:45 a.m. CST.
Tornado watches for the areas around Fort Worth and Dallas would remain in effect until 11 a.m., the NWS said.
The weather service regularly issues forecast updates on its website.
Update 3/4/2025, 12:55 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Brandon Buckingham.
Joe Edwards is a Live News Reporter based in Newsweek’s London Bureau. He covers topics related to weather, climate, and … read more
Newsletters in your inbox See all
Company
Editions:
Contact
Terms of Use
© 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC
