MCALLEN, Texas — Weather experts called it a supercell thunderstorm that parked over McAllen, Texas, for an hour on March 29, 2012, blanketing the city with hail as large as baseballs.
Residents had to deal with flooded streets and wind gusts that clocked in at 75 mph – hurricane strength.
According to a report from the U.S. Weather Service, 217 people were rescued from being trapped in hail- and wind-damaged homes and floodwaters.
More than 1,000 homes and businesses were damaged, and more than 25,000 customers were without power during the peak of the storm.
According to the Insurance Council of Texas and verified by the Property Claims Service of the Insurance Services Office, insured damages tallied $260 million, including uninsured property, which was likely tens of millions of dollars more. One estimate placed total damages in excess of $500 million.
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