A spate of rare winter tornadoes across Texas and the Southeast has rekindled long-standing concerns about construction quality and building code enforcement, particularly in areas that appear increasingly vulnerable to severe weather.
The issue gained national exposure after a string of 12 confirmed tornadoes swept across North Texas on the afternoon and evening of December 26, killing 13 people and causing an estimated $1.2 billion worth of damage, according to the Insurance Council of Texas.