HOUSTON (AP) _ Officials say a possible tornado led to the evacuation of a Houston-area mall that sustained roof and wall damage from a storm system that also flooded roads and left thousands of residents without power.
Texas City Fire Chief Joe Gorman said the Mall of the Mainland was damaged in Monday’s severe storms. He says the dispatcher received reports of a tornado, but that has not been confirmed. He says the mall is closed while a structural engineer investigates the stability of the building.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The National Weather Service City received reports of a tornado making landfall in Texas City. The service says that has not been confirmed. The area was under a tornado warning Monday.
Texas City is about 40 miles southeast of Houston.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)