By TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) – Authorities across Bell County are dealing with the aftermath of a powerful and destructive storm that battered a large portion of Central Texas Wednesday.
Nearly 500 homes and business were destroyed or severely damaged when a tornado struck one of the newest subdivisions in west Temple. Four fire stations suffered damage, including the one at West Adams, which suffered significant damage.
Temple Mayor Tim Davis reassured his constituents that the city and its workforce are ready and “seasoned” to deal with the natural disaster.
“We’ve done this before, right? Unfortunately, we are very well-seasoned in doing this. The City of Temple is not flat-footed. We have the assets in place and we have the people in place. We are a resilient community and we will get through this,” Davis said.
The Lake Pointe and Lake Pointe Terrace areas in west Temple were “hit the hardest,” the police chief said. Access will be restricted to non-residents at the following locations in those neighborhoods:
- Along Brahma Road and Contera near Skycrest
- Prairie Creek and Fieldstone
- Parkfield and Fieldstone
- Fieldstone and Brahma
- Hawthorne and Brahma
- Honeysuckle and Brahma
- Red Brush and Brahma
- Westfield and Adams
- Fieldstone and Westfield
- Cedar and Alabama
- Officers stationed along Adams corridor
“In the midst of the challenges that we face, I want to highlight what we observed,” Temple Police Chief Shawn Reynolds said, “The Texas spirit really rises to the occasion and reemphasizes the goodness in humanity. Neighbor helping neighbor. Neighbor helping friends and neighbors helping strangers. The Temple, Bell County and Texas community respond very well to challenges. Please continue to take care of yourself and each other.”
The City of Temple issued a disaster declaration and said Wednesday night that first responders were prioritizing life-saving calls “as they work through a high volume of emergency requests.”
“If you can stay home, please do so. Some roads are dangerous, closed, or impassible. Currently, no life-threatening injuries or fatalities have been reported,” the City said.
Temple Police Chief Shawn Reynolds warned residents portions of the city will be closed as recovery efforts begin. “Due to the damage in some areas of our city, we will restrict access to owners and residents that live in those areas,” said Reynolds, “Please honor our efforts to protect certain areas as we continue to have downed power lines and extensive damage. Please do not drive around barricades, cones or police vehicles. They have been placed in those areas for your safety.”
City leaders established The Temple Recovery Taskforce to connect residents affected by the tornado with available resources.
“The taskforce connects victims of disasters with reputable relief agencies to provide services free of charge such as debris removal, home repair and water damage repair,” the City said, “It does not provide resources that require a licensed skilled tradesman, such as plumbing or electrical work.”
Requests for assistance can be submitted through Crisis Cleanup’s hotline at 512.201.4814. “These services are not provided by the City of Temple. The city is only coordinating with local organizations who provide services. There is no guarantee that a request for assistance will be fulfilled,” the City said.
The City of Temple on Wednesday confirmed to KWTX that one plane was blown over at the Temple Airport. The Temple Mall also sustained severe damage from the storms.
The Wilson Recreation Center, at 2205 Curtis B Elliot Drive, will function as a shelter so people without power can stay cool during the day.
Temple ISD, for its part, cancelled classes for May 23, 2024, and anticipate resuming on Friday, May 24, 2024.
Temple College’s main campus and Texas Bioscience Institute Temple facilities will also be closed tomorrow, May 23, 2024.
The City of Temple scheduled a tornado aftermath press conference for tomorrow, May 23, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the Temple Police Department Community Room.
Due to the severe weather, the City of Temple has closed multiple facilities on May 23:
- Temple Public Library
- Frank W. Mayborn Civic & Convention Center
- Railroad & Heritage Museum
- Sammons Community Center
- Sammons Golf Course
- Sammons Indoor Pool
- Summit Recreation Center
- Wilson Recreation Center
- Heart to Home Animal Adoption Center
Tornado in Temple, Texas on May 22, 2024. Footage recorded by Nathan and Nicole Cross:
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