One Year Ago Today: A tornado devastated the community of Salado, injuring 23 people

SALADO, TX (KWTX) – On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, an EF-3 tornado with maximum sustained winds of approximately 165 mph was observed across southern Bell County and the Salado area.

Authorities said 23 people were injured, including 12 hospitalized. The storm started in Williamson County, but was estimated to have traveled about 13 miles in Bell County and lasted about 30 minutes.

Bell County Judge David Blackburn issued the disaster declaration to expedite the deployment of emergency management resources to help homeowners damaged by the devastating storm. At the time, officials said 106 Bell County addresses had some type of damage from the storm. The tornado damaged or destroyed 76 buildings in this region.

Two churches in the Salado area, Victory Baptist Church and Cedar Valley Baptist Church, were destroyed.

After the destruction, Billy Many, pastor at Victory Baptist, held a service in the empty lot to show the faithful that the church is more than four walls. “I think the focus today should be on our relationship with the Lord and why this happened,” Borjo told KWTX at the time. “Why did this happen? Why did he allow it to happen? There is a reason. I don’t know all the reasons, but I know that God is faithful and I know that he loves his people.”

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