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LAGUNA HEIGHTS, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A year ago today, an EF1 tornado touched down in Laguna Heights killing one person and devastating an entire community.
Between 4:01 and 4:06 a.m. May 13, 2023 a once calm and quiet community was destroyed by winds of up to 110 mph.
In just five minutes, a life was taken and multiple people were left standing in rubble where their homes used to stand.
On that day, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño said 11 people were injured and transported to local hospitals as a result of the tornado.
The man killed by the extreme weather was crushed by his mobile home.
“It looks like a war zone," said Catherine Valdez who drove to Laguna Heights that morning to pick up her brother who’s home was destroyed by the tornado. "My brother’s window blew in and hit him in the face, he is pretty shook up and his dog was so shaken as well. I cannot believe this happened. He has lost everything, his home, his belongings, but thank God he is alive."
A green Ford Mustang is crushed in front of a home in Laguna Heights. By Brian Svendsen/ValleyCentral
File - A person stands outside of a damaged home after a tornado hit May 13, 2023, in the unincorporated community of Laguna Heights, Texas near South Padre Island. A series of severe thunderstorms in the U.S. resulted in $34 billion in insured losses during the first half of the year, the highest amount ever for insured losses in the period, according to Swiss Re Group. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
People salvage items from a home after a tornado hit Saturday, May 13, 2023, in the unincorporated community of Laguna Heights, Texas near South Padre Island. Authorities say one person was killed when a tornado struck the southernmost tip of Texas on the Gulf coast. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Several mobile homes were destroyed by a tornado that struck Laguna Heights on Saturday morning. By Brian Svendsen/ValleyCentral
Several mobile homes were destroyed by a tornado that struck Laguna Heights on Saturday morning. By Brian Svendsen/ValleyCentral
Debris is wrapped around a utility pole on Highway 100 in Laguna Heights. Courtesy: Texas Department of Transportation
A Laguna Heights home is badly damaged by a tornado that hit the community early Saturday morning. By Brian Svendsen/ValleyCentral
A Laguna Heights home is badly damaged by a tornado that hit the community early Saturday morning. By Brian Svendsen/ValleyCentral
Several mobile homes were destroyed by a tornado that struck Laguna Heights on Saturday morning. By Brian Svendsen/ValleyCentral
Several mobile homes were destroyed by a tornado that struck Laguna Heights on Saturday morning. By Brian Svendsen/ValleyCentral
Laguna Heights to welcome more than 300 new homes, new subdivision (Source: CBS 4 Photo)
The scene that morning was devastating to homeowners and volunteers who came to help evacuate people from the debris. Homes were badly damaged. Some had no roofs and cars were seen displaced with severe damage. Witnesses described the scene as dangerous with uprooted trees and downed power lines in the street.
After the natural disaster, the Laguna Heights community and those surrounding it began to rebuild. The day of the storm, first responders acted fast to get residents of the area to local shelters.
The next day local businesses began handing out food to residents who lost everything in the storm.
“Unfortunately we all felt this," said Robert Reyes Jr., a resident of Laguna Heights and owner of Grubz on the Go. "So a lot of houses were damaged, so we are doing what we can,” Reyes said. “This is something small we can do for the community, a lot of people came out to donate.
Cameron County began helping victims immediately after the storm and reported at least 40 families were displaced when disaster struck.
The EF1 tornado was reported to only make landfall for two minutes. A year later, we remember the devastation left behind and how the families affected have rebuilt since then. Our Brian Svendsen will have the full story tonight.
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