Twister Pierces Through Northeast Texas

At least one tornado ripped through northeast Texas Sunday evening, destroying homes, whirling over vehicles and knocking train cars off tracks, local authorities said.

A tornado struck Rice Texas at 5:30 p.m., Navarro County Chief Deputy Mike Cox said. The twister shattered three homes, damaged at least two more, turned over an 18-wheeler truck onto a passenger car and knocked cars from a freight train off their tracks, he said. It also caused widespread damage to Rice Elementary School.

Four people were transported to the hospital with slight injuries, Cox said. In addition to "significant damage" from a tornado moving through Navarro County, witnesses have also spotted likely tornados in other parts of northeast Texas, the National Weather Service said.

Betty Montgomery of the Lone Oak Fire Department said callers had reported a debris cloud and structural break to homes, but authorities had not confirmed whether a tornado had touched down.

At least one residence in Lone Oak was destroyed, Red Cross spokeswoman Anita Foster said.