OAN’s Avril Elfie
5:42 PM – Sunday, April 28, 2024
At least four people were killed and 100 injured after tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma over the weekend.
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More than 20,000 people are still without power due to the tornado. Sulphur, a town of about 5,000 people, suffered widespread destruction. Many downtown buildings were reduced to rubble, and the roofs of homes within a 15-block radius were torn off.
“The destruction is unbelievable,” Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.) said during a visit to the hard-hit town. He said, “It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed.”
About 30 people were injured in the Sulfur tornado, some of whom were inside the bar at the time of the outbreak, Stitt said. The Oklahoma State Emergency Management Agency said hospitals across the state reported about 100 injuries, including people who appeared to have suffered cuts, debris or falls. .
Flood watches and warnings remained in effect Sunday for Oklahoma and several other states, including Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.
Officials said the sulfur tornado started in a city park and then ripped through the walls and roofs of brick buildings and overturned cars as it hurtled through the downtown area. The building where they were detained was completely destroyed, including the windows and doors.
“How are we going to rebuild? This is complete devastation,” said Kelly Trussell, a lifelong sulfur resident, as she surveyed the damage. “That’s crazy. I want to help, but where do I start?”
Further north, a tornado struck near the town of Holdenville, killing two people and damaging or destroying more than a dozen homes, Hughes County Emergency Medical Services said. The Oklahoma State Emergency Management Agency reported another person was killed near Marietta in southern Oklahoma along Interstate 35.
In addition to the tornadoes, heavy rains caused dangerous flooding and the need for water rescues in Oklahoma. Beyond Sulfur, the Chickasaw National Recreation Area was closed due to rising lake levels and a pedestrian bridge was destroyed by the storm.
In the aftermath of the severe weather, Stitt issued an executive order Sunday placing a state of emergency in 12 counties.
Tornado damage began Friday afternoon near Lincoln, Nebraska. An industrial building in Lancaster County collapsed on impact, with 70 people inside. Officials said the three people’s injuries were not life-threatening and everyone was evacuated, although some were trapped.
Gov. Jim Pillen (R-Neb.) and Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa) toured the damage site Saturday and laid out plans to provide aid to affected communities. Official damage assessments are still underway, but states plan to apply for federal aid.
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