In the Royal-Preston area of north Dallas, a tornado cut a clear path causing widespread damage to homes, cars, trees and power lines.
"Everybody is alive," said homeowner Ken Luce. "I think the miracle of everything was: anybody in the City of Dallas there have been no fatalities to date."
Much of Luce's roof is gone. From his downstairs dining room, he can look up and see the sky. He was home when the tornado hit and said he, his wife and dogs took shelter in a closet under the stairs.
Luce credits a combination of luck, timing and prayers for his family's safety.
Other families describe similar close calls.
Eve Wiley and her husband pulled their three and five-year-old children out of bed and into a downstairs bathroom, with seconds to spare.
"Just hear the walls ripping apart and the glass, wondering if that wall that's right next to you is going to be next," said Wiley.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Much of the family's roof is destroyed. An SUV, which was parked in the street, is on its side in the front yard.
"This is a total grace by God that everyone was able to make it to safety," Wiley said.
"We hunkered down in the bathtub, me and my two boys and my wife," said Philip Villasana. "It lasted maybe 30 seconds. The pressure hit, heard thumping, you thought the house was going to take off, it went calm and we walked out."
People in the neighborhood described hearing outdoor warning sirens and tornado warning alerts on their mobile phones. They say the storm moved in fast.
"The sirens are loud, they work. Everybody's home alarms were going off, so you had no choice you knew something major was going on," Luce said.
Power crews worked to untangle power lines from downed trees. Firefighters and tree removal crews worked to pull tree debris from the streets to make them more passable. Firefighters were also checking on damaged homes, asking to speak to homeowners to ensure everyone in the house is accounted for.
"It's a reminder of what's important in life, that's for sure," said Wiley.
