At least one person has been killed, and catastrophic damage has been reported in several Oklahoma towns after tornadoes ripped across portions of the state Saturday night during a severe weather outbreak that destroyed buildings and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.
Emergency officials said at least one person was killed in Holdenville in Hughes County, and FOX 23 in Tulsa reported at least 14 homes were damaged or destroyed by the tornado there.
In addition, FOX 23 said Highway 9 was closed due to debris in the roadway.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) said the state’s Emergency Operations Center remains activated due to the extreme weather. The OEM is in constant contact with emergency officials across the state and has been coordinating response efforts.
The OEM said damage assessments are underway in several areas and will be completed once the all-clear is given after the severe weather threat has passed.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) reported injuries and power lines down in Carter County at the Flying J truck stop on Michelin Road, and additional injuries were reported in Sulphur.
Dramatic videos recorded in Sulphur showed damage to several structures in town, with bricks and large tree branches littering the streets after the powerful storms moved through.
Officials in Cotton County reported that 3 to 5 homes were damaged in the Devol area, and numerous trees were brought down during the severe weather. One storm-related crash was also reported, but details on that were not immediately released.
