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UPDATES | Weather Service confirms 2 tornadoes touched down in Orange County, some Southeast Texans still without power

The NWS confirmed two tornadoes touched down in Orange County Tuesday.

BEAUMONT, Texas — More than a full day after a line of severe storms pushed through Southeast Texas leaving a path of damage, many are still in the dark in Orange and Jefferson County while cleanup goes on around Southeast Texas.

Those who sustained any storm-related damage are encouraged to go to the Texas Division of Emergency Management website and fill out the iSTAT damage assessment.

Here's some updates of what's happening Thursday in Southeast Texas...

5:00 p.m.: Power outages in Jefferson County have increased since Thursday morning. An Entergy Texas representative says outages in the Port Arthur network were necessary to safely repair damaged equipment like cross arms and poles impacted by severe weather

4:00 p.m.: Students in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville ISD, West Orange - Cove CISD will return to classes on Friday.

4:00 p.m.: Officials with the National Weather Service have confirmed to 12News that an EF-2 tornado touched down in Orangefield during Tuesday’s severe storms. The NWS reports that wind speeds in the tornado were estimated to be 120 mph.

2:45 p.m.: Officials with the National Weather Service have confirmed to 12News that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Orange during Tuesday’s severe storms. The NWS reports that wind speeds in the tornado were estimated to be 100 mph.

1:15 p.m.: Students in the Orangefield school district will return to classes on Friday.

9:15 a.m.: A meteorologist from the National Weather Service is currently inspecting damage in Orange County to determine the scale and wind speed of a tornado or tornadoes that touched down there on Tuesday afternoon.

7 a.m.: Only 891 Entergy customers are still without power in Orange County according to Entergy's outage website. On Tuesday night that number was 14,761. 

Entergy is still currently reporting all customers should be fully restored by 10 p.m. Thursday.

6:45 a.m.: Inspectors from the National Weather Service did not make it to Orange Wednesday to determine the scope of what they say could be two tornados. They expect to be in Orange Thursday morning to determine the wind speed and scale of the twisters.

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Here's some updates of what happened Wednesday in Southeast Texas...

9:30 p.m.: Orange County Emergency Management Coordinator Joel Ardoin confirms about 100 homes in Orange County were damaged.  

9:00 p.m.: The American Red Cross Gulf Coast Region opened an emergency shelter at Bridge Point Fellowship Overflow in Bridge City. 

6:15 p.m.: Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD will remain closed on Thursday due to power outages.

4:45 p.m.: National Weather Service confirms a tornado touched down in Orange County Tuesday. A NWS representative tells 12News it could've possibly been more than one tornado. The rep won't know the scale of the tornado or MPH until he returns to the area Thursday morning.

2:30 p.m.: Orangefield ISD will remain closed on Thursday due to power outages.

2:15 p.m.: West Orange-Cove CISD will remain closed on Thursday due to power outages. Classes will resume Friday if power has been restored.

12:45 p.m.: Entergy outage site shows 13,280 customers without power in Hardin, Jefferson and Orange County according to Entergy's outage website.

The bulk of customers without power were in Orange County where 12,626 are still without power. At 10 p.m. Wednesday that number was 14,761.

12:05 p.m.: Orange County Judge John Gothia has issued a declaration of disaster for Orange County due to the severe damage from Tuesday's storms.

Gothia based his decision on severe damage and tornado activity according to the declaration. He specifically cited the touchdown of "one or more tornadoes" and the disruption of utility services in the county.

11:15 a.m.: Entergy is estimating that power will not be restored across Orange County until 10 p.m. Thursday night. 

The utility company says power should be restored by 10 p.m. Wednesday in Jefferson County including the Beaumont and Port Arthur "networks." 

The "Winnie network," which includes Anahuac, the Bolivar Peninsula and surrounding areas should also be restored by Wednesday night at 10 p.m. according to Entergy.

10:30 a.m.: Entergy is reporting a total of 14,349 customers without power in Hardin, Jefferson and Orange County according to Entergy's outage website.

The bulk of customers without power were in Orange County where 13,467 were without power. At 10 p.m. Wednesday that number was 14,761.

10:30 a.m.: Both West Orange-Stark varsity boys and girls basketball games will happen today with boys playing at home and girls playing at Vidor. Both games at 6 p.m.

8:30 a.m.: Officials with the National Weather Service are currently surveying damage north of Lake Charles but tell 12News they plan to be to be in Orange later today to assess damage there.

8:05 a.m.: Officials with the Little Cypress-Mauriceville district say currently they know of no damage on campuses but have crews checking for damage in the district. While classes remain cancelled today they hope to be in session Thursday but are still assessing how many families in the district remain without power.

7:50 a.m.: The West Orange-Cove school district has not suffered major damage according to a district spokesperson. They have crews assessing campuses for minor damage today. The high school campus got power back last night. Classes remain closed at the district. AN announcement on today's basketball game will come later.

7:30 a.m.: Taft Elementary School in the Port Neches-Groves district will remain closed to day due to a power outage on the campus.

7:15 a.m.: Kelly High School reports that they remain closed due to the power being out on the campus.

6:45 a.m.: Entergy's power outage website shows that 14,614 customers still  have no power in Jefferson and Orange County with the bulk of those in Orange County where 13,572 are still without power.

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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.

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