State of disaster, curfew declared after EF-3 tornado tears through Texas city and leaves path of destruction
Overnight, officials declared a local state of disaster as crews continued to assist those affected, assess the damage, and secure impacted areas to ensure public safety.
Large hail, destructive winds, confirmed tornado strike Mineral Wells, Texas
Tuesday’s severe storms unleashed large hail, destructive wind gusts, and a confirmed tornado in Mineral Wells, Texas—splintering trees, destroying structures and homes and displacing families. A local state of disaster has now been declared. FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera breaks down what happened:
MINERAL WELLS, Texas – On the tail end of a relentless severe weather marathon, a destructive tornado tore through the town of Mineral Wells in north Texas, leaving a trail of significant structural damage and reported injuries Tuesday evening, officials said.
Overnight, officials declared a local state of disaster as first responders continued to assist those affected, assess the damage and secure impacted areas to ensure public safety.
(FOX Weather)
The city implemented a curfew for areas with extensive damage until 6 a.m. Wednesday, followed by a nightly 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew until further notice.
In a news conference on Wednesday, Mineral Wells Fire Chief Ryan Dunn said there is a lot of damage and debris spread across Country Club Estates, with collapsed buildings and roofs off of homes.
An EF-3 tornado tore through the Mineral Wells, Texas, area on Tuesday night.
(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
The National Weather Service Fort Worth office confirmed the tornado was an EF-3 that packed estimated winds of 145 mph. Surveying is still ongoing, and this rating could change as this is a preliminary rating.
Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas
A confirmed tornado ripped through Mineral Wells, Texas, causing significant structural damage to what appears to be a warehouse in a must-see video showcasing the damage. Video courtesy: @scr0sX / X
The town asked for people to stay off the roads while damage surveys are conducted.
"A lot of this area is still not safe. We do not need or want extra traffic through here until we let our utility companies get in and get everything under control, do their assessments and make sure that the area is cleared.," said Mineral Wells Mayor Regan Johnson. "Then we can move on to, debris and chainsaws and recovery efforts and those kind of things"
Dunn said on Wednesday that five people were injured and taken to the hospital. He said several others were treated on scene and didn't go to the hospital.
ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN US MARK 15 YEARS SINCE THE SUPER TORNADO OUTBREAK OF 2011
Located just outside the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, the tornado ripped through Mineral Wells, destroying buildings and scattering debris across roads and parking lots, in addition to causing injuries.
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Image 1 of 7Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026. (Caden Hogue)
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Image 2 of 7Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026. ( )
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Image 3 of 7Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026. ( )
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Image 4 of 7Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026. ( )
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Image 5 of 7Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026. ( )
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Image 6 of 7Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026. ( )
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Image 7 of 7Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026. ( )
On Tuesday, the NWS issued a Tornado Warning for Southern Parker County at 5:11 p.m. CDT, warning of a confirmed, radar-indicated tornado that impacted Mineral Wells, among other areas.
Radar shows severe storms moving through Mineral Wells, Texas, on Tuesday
A City of Mineral Wells official told FOX 4 that there is a large area of damage with some structures destroyed, and injuries have been reported.
At 5:10 p.m. CDT, a confirmed tornado was located along Highway 180 just west of Cool, Texas, roughly three miles east of Mineral Wells, moving towards the city at 25 mph, the warning said.
On Tuesday, a dangerous line of severe storms moved through the Dallas–Fort Worth area from the afternoon into the evening. Around 5 p.m. CDT, Mineral Wells, west of Dallas, came under threat from the severe weather.
(FOX Weather)
SEE IT: DESTRUCTIVE STORMS SLAM TEXAS, LEAVING 2 DEAD AS SEVERE WEATHER SWEEPS REGION
Images from Mineral Wells highlighted the devastating impact of severe weather, with an entire warehouse suffering significant structural damage and numerous other buildings destroyed or heavily damaged, with officials saying some structures are a "complete loss."
Tornado damage in Mineral Wells, Texas, on April 28, 2026.
(@scr0sX / X / FOX Weather)
The devastating twister follows severe storms that swept across the region, killing two people in Texas and significantly impacting Parker County and other areas across the South.
Mayor Johnson said the recovery efforts will be long-term for the town.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.