Storm leaves trail of damage

Jesus Vargas of Javan's Lawn Care & Landscape uses a chainsaw to cut branches that fell on Kristin Teer's car on Monday. The tree appeared healthy, and was split in half by winds. No one was hurt.
Jesus Vargas of Javan's Lawn Care & Landscape uses a chainsaw to cut branches that fell on Kristin Teer's car on Monday. The tree appeared healthy, and was split in half by winds. No one was hurt.

Straight-line winds estimated at up to 90 mph downed trees, knocked out power and damaged homes Monday across the region.
A team from the National Weather Service in Shreveport, La., visited the area Monday afternoon to investigate a possible tornado near Garland City, Ark.
"We are sending a team to look at the damage and the path and see if we can make a determination," said NWS meteorologist Mario Valverde.
There was a tornado warning issued for Garland City just before 1 p.m. Monday.
"You can tell there was a path of damage starting from south Stateline over to Garland and across Highway 196," said Miller County Emergency Management Coordinator Larry Pritchett.
"I talked to the National Weather Service today and they said they would do an assessment Tuesday. (today) It makes a difference on insurance if the damage was straight line winds or a tornado," Pritchett said.
"I've seen a lot of houses with trees inside them. No one was injured. I think a lot of people were scared or frightened half to death," Pritchett said. "It's amazing. You see a boat in the middle of a field and it should have been blown away, but it wasn't and then you see houses with trees caved into the houses," he said.

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Vince Young (9) looks to pass during the first quarter an NFL football against the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011 in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The NWS confirmed there was no rotation or circulation to the winds.
The severe thunderstorms formed about 12:30 p.m., Pritchett said.
The storm system caused tree damage in Garland City, but no one was injured said Mayor Tyeshekka Antwine. Electricity was knocked out to customers. Several hundred homes in Bowie and Miller counties remained without power late Monday.
The storm developed in Bowie County and stretched all the way to El Dorado, Ark., before it was over, Valverde said.
In Texarkana, Ark., numerous trees were down in the area of Union Road and Old Blackman Ferry Road. Several houses and vehicles were damaged.
"There was quite a bit of hail south of town and some flash flooding," said Kristi Bennett, spokeswoman for the Texarkana, Ark., Police Department.
Trees were also down in Liberty-Eylau. Some landed on vehicles and others were across some county roads.
In Little River County, Ark., no damage was reported except for lightning causing a tree fire.
Tree damage was reported in Lafayette County and several roads were closed because of fallen trees including state Highway 29 and Highway 53.
Crews were still removing fallen trees late Monday afternoon, said Lafayette County Emergency Services Coordinator Danny Ormand.
No injuries have been reported in Lafayette County, he said.

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