Tornado touches down in northwest San Antonio
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Fencing was set up around the debris left behind by the tornado that hit The Palladium. Photo: Megan Stringer/Axios
A tornado touched down on San Antonio's Northwest Side Wednesday morning, crossing Interstate 10 between the Dominion and Shavano Park, per the National Weather Service.
The latest: The Oasis, a student housing complex near UT San Antonio, sustained damage affecting 10–12 students. Aerial footage from News 4 shows part of the roof ripped off.
- The Rim, the popular shopping and entertainment hub near the college, was also hit hard.
- No injuries were reported.
What they're saying: The university is working with the Red Cross to find temporary housing for those students, UT San Antonio Police Chief Stephanie Schoenborn said during a Wednesday press conference.
- San Antonio Fire Chief Valerie Frausto said the entire complex has been evacuated. Belongings from affected students are being collected and stored in a dry location.
- The San Antonio Fire Department is assessing properties at The Rim for damage. City cleanup crews were working on removing debris Wednesday morning.
What they're saying: The Rim issued a statement warning visitors to use caution. Downed trees and property damage remain across the shopping center.
- The Palladium, the Santikos movie theater, is closed for the day.
- TruFusion, a studio fitness business, is closed until 3:30pm.
Zoom in: The Rim was a quiet scene of recovery Wednesday morning. Some businesses, like new brunch spot Sunny's and Torchy's Tacos, remained open, with a few diners inside around lunchtime.
- Outdoor dining furniture sat in a fenced-off pile near North Italia.
CPS Energy CEO Frank Almaraz asked residents to report downed power lines to (210) 353-HELP. District 8 Councilmember Ivalis Meza Gonzalez said residents can call 311 for help with debris.
Between the lines: The Wednesday tornado is the first in Bexar County since October 2023, the Express-News reported.
The big picture: Heavy rain is expected to continue across South Central Texas Wednesday, with forecasters warning that the threat of flash flooding remains high through Thursday.
- A flood watch is in effect in San Antonio until 7pm Thursday.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and will be updated with new information.