At least two fatalities have been confirmed after a large and damaging tornado struck the town of Cole, Oklahoma, Wednesday evening. As the sun rose Thursday morning, the full scope of the damage in Cole was becoming clearer.
According to Accuweather, The McClain County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the two deaths in a social media post late Wednesday night. No additional details were given on the fatalities.
The office also noted search and rescue operations are ongoing. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office told News9 it was “reasonable” to expect more fatalities due to the amount of damage the twister caused.
Just before 8 p.m. CDT, the National Weather Service (NWS) wrote on Twitter that a “significant tornado” was ongoing northeast of Cole, which is located about 30 miles south of Oklahoma City. The NWS described the tornado’s motion as “erratic,” and a tornado warning was issued just minutes before for the nearby cities of Norman and Goldsby.
Yeah, I was right under it. 😮#okwx #tornado #storm #NormanReedus pic.twitter.com/BhbtZHxMef
— The Rick (@ArtByRicky) April 20, 2023
Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer captured intense video of the tornado moving through Cole, and reported that at least four homes were damaged.
Damage in Cole also included the destruction of a building used as a wedding venue. First responders and debris blocked off most of the roads in town after the tornado struck. Other reports of homes being leveled were documented throughout the area, along with downed power poles.
Significant amounts of debris were spewed across the Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) campus from the twister. School officials urged students to stay in their housing units through the night. Classes at OBU have been canceled for Thursday and Friday. As a severe weather outbreak unfolded across the southern Plains Wednesday, several other tornadoes and large hail were reported.
In Norman, about 15 miles northeast of Cole, a tornado was seen on the ground near Tinker Air Force Base, along with large hail that damaged a truck at the base. Hail was a consistent threat throughout Wednesday in Oklahoma, with Timmer capturing a photo of hailstones nearly the size of a tennis ball.
