Global Courant 2023-04-20 10:54:18
Two people have died in Oklahoma after a possible tornado struck Wednesday evening, authorities said.
The McClain County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the two deaths and said in one Facebook message that crews responded to reports of injuries and people trapped in their shelters.
Residents of Cole, a county town about 25 miles south of Oklahoma City, were told to seek shelter immediately Wednesday night. The county’s emergency management agency said at 7:39 p.m. that a dangerous tornado was over the city.
“Based on the damage and the reports we’re getting back, as significant as it is, there could reasonably be more injuries or deaths that we don’t know about at this time,” Scott Gibbons, McClain County deputy sheriff, previously told reporters. , when there was one confirmed death.
Helicopter video from NBC affiliate KFOR of Oklahoma City showed destroyed houses in and around Cole, a town of about 620.
Damage to a home in Cole, Oklahoma, after a possible tornado hit the area Wednesday.KFOR – News Nation
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Foster told reporters that Cole suffered significant damage and trees and power lines were down.
He said the rural nature of the community and state, as well as the damage, means searchers need time to check damaged properties and storm shelters.
“We have to park and walk for miles to get to a lot of these places, so it’s going to take us time to search those,” Foster said. “We do know there are injuries. We do know there is significant property damage.”
In Norman, which is east of Cole, the University of Oklahoma told everyone on campus to immediately seek shelter and stay away from windows as the dangerous storms approached. The threat of tornadoes later passed.
In Pottawatomie County, the weather service warned of a storm with a tornado approaching Shawnee, a city of about 30,000. It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries.
The extent of the damage was also not immediately clear. Images broadcast by KFOR showed broken power lines and damaged signboards in the city.
Pottawatomie County Emergency Management said in Facebook posts that roads and streets were blocked by debris or power lines, “too many to list.” It urged people to stay home so emergency workers could do their jobs.
Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee said classes were canceled Thursday and Friday and students were told to stay in their residences Wednesday night, citing debris and downed power lines.
“No injuries have been reported, but damage to the campus is significant,” the university said in a statement Facebook message.
The weather service had predicted a chance of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in parts of the Great Plains on Wednesday due to a cold front.
