A powerful storm struck the northern Texas town of Matador on Wednesday night, killing at least three people, damaging about a dozen buildings and prompting a search for people who might have been injured or trapped by debris, the authorities said. Matador, which has about 600 residents, is roughly 290 miles northwest of Dallas and was under a tornado warning as the storm barreled through the area around 8 p.m., said William Iwasko, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lubbock. “Based on the damage,’’ he added, “there was most likely a tornado” in Matador, but that will be determined on Thursday. The mayor of Matador, Pat Smith, who also provides emergency medical services in the town, said in a brief phone interview that at least three people had been killed, that others may be injured and that there was “a whole lot of damage.”

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Persons: William Iwasko, Pat Smith Organizations: Matador, National Weather Service Locations: Texas, Matador, Dallas, Lubbock