Houston weather: Cypress community bands together after tornado

CYPRESS, Texas - Residents of the Harbor Gates at Heritage neighborhood in Cypress were caught by surprise when an EF-1 tornado, confirmed by the National Weather Service, hit the area with wind speeds reaching up to 110 miles per hour.

"All of a sudden it got real dark so we moved inside, fortunately, at the last minute, and then it sounded like a freight train," said Andy Culter, a Cypress resident.

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Another resident, Marvin Stahl, experienced significant damage to his home. "It was like ‘bam’, stuff went through the windows," Stahl said. "Doors were blown off hinges. It's unbelievable. The door from my garage to the utility room was blown all the way off. It was just like an explosion."

While crews worked hard to clear debris and repair damage, community members did not stand idly by. The neighborhood has banded together, especially to assist retired, elderly citizens.

"There's a lot of glass in the house, unbelievable glass all over the place, but they cleaned up much of it," Stahl added, highlighting the efforts to restore the neighborhood.

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Linda Harvey, who also lives in Cypress, spoke of the volunteer work. "We’ve just been out here trying to help out. Pulling out limbs and fences. This community in the Heritage area is mostly aged 55 and up. We know once you retire how difficult it can be to need help," said Harvey.

Cypress wasn't the only area affected by severe weather. Waller County was also hit by a tornado, as confirmed by the National Weather Service.