Global Courant 2023-04-20 10:25:28
Several damaging tornadoes have been observed in central Oklahoma, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). A tornado rolled through central Oklahoma Wednesday night, bringing winds up to 70 mph, rain and hail the size of a golf ball.
The McClain County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital that one person died from the tornado in Cole, Oklahoma. Further details were not immediately available.
Numerous tornadoes have ripped through a number of central Oklahoma counties, including: Cole, Chickasha, Bridge Creek, Moore, and Norman.
A home in Cole, Oklahoma was damaged by a tornado Wednesday evening. (@H via Twitter)
The NWS in Tulsa warned residents that the “severe storms with a history of producing damaging tornadoes continue to move slowly eastward. The greatest severe weather threat in our area will be in Okfuskee and S Creek counties until midnight.”
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The 70 mph winds brought devastation to small towns in central Oklahoma, tearing roofs off structures and downing power lines. At least 18,000 Oklahoma residents will be without power by midnight on Wednesday, according to tracking site PowerOutages.com.
Residents took to social media to share large pieces of hail that battered their homes and vehicles. Some reported golf ball-sized hail amid the inclement weather.
While much of central Oklahoma had a tornado warning, tornado watches were also issued in several neighboring states. Other states affected by the severe weather include: Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Texas, according to the National Weather Service.
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The University of Oklahoma at Norman has a campus emergency because of the storms, tell the people on campus to seek shelter immediately.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a writer on Fox News Digital’s breaking news team. You can reach her on Twitter at @s_rumpfwhiteten.
