Tornado Rips Through Devine

Josie Juarez's home is totally destroyed by tornado in Devine, Texas. Photo by
SouthSaToday.Com

SouthSaToday.Com
by Robert Castillo

DEVINE - "I was talking with her on the phone when she started screaming."  
That was how Josie Juarez describe the moment the EF 2 tornado demolished her home as Jessi Juarez, her 15 year old daughter was home alone.

Mrs. Juarez was at a church function when she noticed the weather changing. She reached her daughter who was crying and telling her that the house was starting to shake.

Jessi was told to move immediately to the bathroom for her safety. As the mother raced home, she could hear her daughter screaming then lost phone contact.

"It was pitch dark when I got home and I could not see the house and soon realized that it was gone. In a panic I made my way through all the debri looking for my daughter and found her unharmed but our house was completely gone."

A block away 25 customers at Charlie's Ice House faced the tornado's wrath as it ripped the roof of the building at approximately 8 pm. Owner, Marilyn Banks suffered minor injuries but was happy that no one was seriously hurt. Early this morning, repairs were already underway with the hope of opening for business. A patron of Charlie's Ice House stated that he heard a loud whistling sound before it hit the establishment. Moments later the structure started moving.

At sunrise, the affected area was littered with aluminum roofing, insulation, broken lumber and uprooted trees and shrubs. The entire area was cordoned off with peace officers controlling access to the area impacted by the tornado.

The EF2 tornado was spawned by one of two large weather cells that moved over the area causing damages in Devine, Lytle and south San Antonio. Law enforcement reported some six known injuries as a result of the storm.