Powerful tornadoes have struck rural Oklahoma killing at least two and leaving a trail of devastation in their wake.
The
first twister ripped through Elmore City, Katie and Wynnewood
yesterday, inflicting 'catastrophic damage' as numerous houses were
destroyed, barns were flattened, mobile homes were overturned and trees
were uprooted.
Garvin
County Sheriff's Office confirmed that at least one man aged in his
70s, who has not yet been identified, was killed when a tornado struck
near his home in Wynnewood. Another man died when the storm hit near
the town of Connerville, Johnston County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Stacey
Pulley said.
At least one person was injured in Murray County and rushed to the nearby hospital.
At least person has been killed, homes
are destroyed and highways closed after tornadoes leave a trail of
devastation through Oklahoma
A tornado ripped through rural Oklahoma after touching down south of Wynnewood (pictured) Oklahoma on May nine
Numerous houses were destroyed, barns
were flattened, mobile homes were overturned and trees were uprooted in
the tornadoes (pictured, a woman looks on while a twister rips through a
residential area near Wynnewood)
Incredible images of the tornado were captured as it passed through the small town of Wynnewood in Oklahoma
A storm chaser stood on his vehicle for a better view as a rain-wrapped tornado wreaked havoc near Hickory, Oklahoma
Weather forecasters, who estimated
that the first tornado had wind speeds of at least 135mph, described it
as 'large and extremely dangerous'
Damaged cars sit in a parking lot in
Lincoln, Nebraska after baseball-sized hail fell in the area during the
storms which swept up from Oklahoma
The baseball-sized hail and funnel
clouds, spotted farther east in Omaha, Nebraska, caused thousands of
dollars worth of damage to homes and vehicles
Several
homes in the area were completely destroyed by the storms, local
officials confirmed. Livestock were also killed in the twisters while
cars, farm equipment and even trucks were overturned.
Weather
forecasters, who estimated that the first tornado had wind speeds of at
least 135mph, described it as 'large and extremely dangerous'.
A
tornado emergency was declared for Roff and Hickory after an even larger
tornado formed to the northwest of Sulphur, Oklahoma with wind speeds
of around 200mph, and began moving in the direction of the small towns
yesterday evening.
Weather stations warned the communities were in 'a life-threatening situation' and to take shelter immediately.
'Flying debris will be deadly to those caught without shelter,' they were told.
Dana
Lance was driving through the Pontotoc County community of Roff on her
way home from work Monday when the skies grew ominous, and she heard
tornado sirens and forecasters on the radio urging people in the area to
take cover.
'I
parked and went into the school, which has a safe room,' Lance said.
'There were kids and elderly people, dogs and cats, babies. It was like
the whole town was there.'
At least two homes near Elmore City were completely destroyed by the storms yesterday (pictured) local officials confirm
Friends and family help to clean up
after a tornado utterly destroyed a home in Wynnewood, Oklahoma as it
swept through the state yesterday
Kenny Baker, right, and Tony
Scheuerman sift through the rubble at what used to be a home after
storms swept through the nation's midsection Monday
Several homes in the area were
completely destroyed by the storms, local officials confirmed while
livestock were also killed in the twisters
Cars, farm equipment and even trucks
were also overturned (pictured) in the twisters which ripped through the
south of the state on Monday (pictured, near Elmore City)
Weather forecasters, who estimate the
tornado had wind speeds of at least 135mph, described it as 'large and
extremely dangerous'
The
Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, had warned that twisters
as far north as Nebraska and Iowa could develop late Monday night.
The
bad weather should settle in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys on Tuesday,
forecasters said, while another storm system should bring bad weather
to the area from north Texas to near St. Louis on Wednesday.
Monday's
series of violent thunderstorms dropped tornadoes near Oklahoma City
and in the rolling hills south of the city, destroying some homes and
barns.
The
Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed Interstate 35 near Wynnewood for 15
minutes Monday so the storm could pass, temporarily shutting down the
primary route between Oklahoma City and Dallas.
Television images showed homes destroyed, multiple overturned vehicles and trees torn limb to limb.
Meteorologist David Payne for KWTV
estimated that the first twister was at least an EF-2, or possibly a
low end EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The second was estimated as
EF-4. The maximum is an EF-5.
Baseball-sized
hail and funnel clouds were also spotted farther east in Omaha,
Nebraska, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to homes and
vehicles.
The
Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, had warned that a
'substantial tornado risk' could develop in portions of the Southern
Plains and Ozarks late Monday.
Dramatic
footage shows the massive tornado on the ground in Garvin County
(pictured) Oklahoma, where at least one resident was killed in the storm
The twister spanned an estimated half a mile wide on the ground as it passed through rural Oklahoma at around 5pm
It ripped through farmland, flattening barns and overturning farm equipment, as locals were warned to seek immediate shelter
The broad tornado, capable of leaving 'catastrophic' damage in its wake churned across the Oklahoma landscape Monday
Garvin County Sheriff's Office
confirmed that at least one person, who has not yet been identified,
died in the storms, in Wynnewood. There were no other immediate reports
of injuries
A tornado finally dissipated yesterday after ripping through a residential area south of Wynnewood, Oklahoma (pictured)
A truck drove on as a supercell storm system, baring multiple tornado warnings, expands across the sky near Hugo, Oklahoma
A series of violent thunderstorms dropped tornadoes near Oklahoma City and in the rolling hills south of the capital.
Meteorologists
said twisters with wind speeds above 111 mph were possible from eastern
Oklahoma to central Arkansas. Hail 2 inches or more in diameter is
possible from eastern Texas to southeastern Kansas.
About 41 million people from Houston to Sioux City, Iowa, are at risk from some type of stormy weather.
While the threat was less farther north, forecasters issued a tornado warning for a storm near Lincoln, Nebraska.
Footage,
filmed by a passing motorist and posted on Twitter, shows the tornado
as it passed through Wynnewood, Oklahoma. The video, shot on
a cellphone, shows the dark, swirling vortex in the distance as heavy
clouds amass overhead and rain batters down the windows.
The twister spanned an estimated half a mile wide on the ground as it passed through rural Oklahoma at around 5pm, KFOR reports.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect for several Oklahoma Counties until 9pm tonight.
Even after the tornado warning expires, hail and high wind are expected to continue through the evening.
Tomorrow is predicted to be warm with a possibility of more severe weather and storms.
A twister formed near Elmore City
(pictured) which had then ripped through Katie and Wynnewood, inflicting
'catastrophic damage'
Powerful tornadoes have struck rural
Oklahoma killing at least one and leaving a trail of devastation in
their wake (pictured near Wynnewood, Oklahoma)
A tornado emergency was then declared
for Roff and Hickory after an even larger tornado formed to the
northwest of Sulphur, Oklahoma with wind speeds of around 200mph, and
began moving in the direction of the small towns
Weather stations warned the communities were in 'a life-threatening situation' and to take shelter immediately
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman,
Oklahoma, had warned that a 'substantial tornado risk' could develop in
portions of the Southern Plains and Ozarks late Monday
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