Global Courant 2023-04-20 20:50:21
At least three people have died in Oklahoma after a series of tornadoes erupted Wednesday night, officials said.
There are eight confirmed tornadoes in the state, according to the National Weather Service.
McClain County Emergency Management confirmed there was a “large and extremely dangerous tornado” over Cole, Oklahoma, Wednesday night. The McClain County Sheriff’s Office confirmed at least two deaths and said several were injured.
People walk past the damaged home destroyed in nighttime tornadoes in Cole, Oklahoma, April 20, 2023.
Nick Oxford/Reuters
In all, there were at least 15 reported tornadoes in three states: Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa. In addition, massive hail — some the size of a softball — was reported from Illinois to Texas.
Cole was “hit significantly,” said Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Eric Foster. There are “power lines out everywhere” and extensive damage to infrastructure, said Foster, who said hundreds of first responders are on the scene.
On Wednesday night, the McClain County Sheriff’s Office posted a notice Facebook that it was responding to “reported injuries and persons trapped in their shelters”, and that power lines were out and there were disturbances. McClain County is located just south of Oklahoma City.
Due to storm damage, Oklahoma State Highway 74 to State Highway 76 was closed, according to the McClain County Sheriff’s Office.
Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee reported significant damage to the campus but reported no injuries. Students who lived in three buildings on campus moved out Wednesday night, according to a tweet.
The university also canceled classes on Thursday and Friday.
Robbie Bridwell surveys damage from nighttime tornadoes in Cole, Oklahoma, April 20, 2023.
Nick Oxford/Reuters
The cross country storm is moving east, causing an outbreak of severe weather with tornadoes, massive hail and extremely straight winds. On Thursday, severe weather will extend eastward from Texas to Illinois, including major cities such as San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, St. Louis and Little Rock, Arkansas. The biggest threat will be damaging winds and massive hail.
Severe weather will move southeast over the weekend, stretching from the Carolinas to Georgia. Bullseye cities include Savannah, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; and near Raleigh, North Carolina. Damaging winds will be the biggest threat on Saturday.
Isolated tornadoes are possible across the South, including eastern Texas, on Thursday.
ABC news
The same storm will bring a threat of heavy rain and thunderstorms Saturday night in Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York City.
Major flooding in the Upper Mississippi River in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin is expected to get worse this weekend. The river is expected to continue rising through the end of the week and into the weekend, reaching levels not seen in decades.
