Deadly Tornado Outbreak in Oklahoma Leaves 4 Dead; Severe Weather Threat Continues
Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak Leaves Four Dead; Severe Weather Threat Continues
At least four people, including an infant, tragically lost their lives as a result of a devastating tornado outbreak that swept across Oklahoma overnight. The severe storms brought the threat of additional tornadoes, heavy rainfall, and large hail, extending from Missouri to Texas on Sunday.
The National Weather Service reported multiple large and extremely dangerous tornadoes touching down simultaneously across parts of Oklahoma during Saturday night. Tragically, two individuals lost their lives in Holdenville, while another fatality occurred near Marietta on Interstate 35, as confirmed by Keli Cain, the public affairs director for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
Furthermore, a fourth death was reported in the severely impacted town of Sulphur in Murray County, Oklahoma, as announced by Governor Kevin Stitt during a Sunday news conference.
The weather service confirmed the occurrence of 22 tornadoes in the Norman area. Moreover, tornadoes with a strength of at least EF-3, indicating wind speeds of 136 mph or higher, struck Sulphur and Marietta on Saturday night, according to the weather service.
Residents surveyed the damage to a home under construction in Elkhorn, Nebraska, after a tornado struck the Omaha suburb on Friday. pic.twitter.com/TnzbVqy9Zn
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) April 29, 2024
Oklahoma Governor Assesses Damage, Declares Emergency After Deadly Tornadoes
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt provided an update on the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes that struck the state, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life.
In a somber statement, Stitt expressed, “It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed now here in Sulphur. It’s definitely the most damage since I’ve been governor that I’ve seen.”
The governor reported that approximately 30 individuals were injured in Sulphur, and their current conditions remain uncertain. In response to the crisis, Stitt declared an emergency disaster declaration and announced plans to tour the storm-damaged areas of Sulphur and Holdenville.
Across several counties, reports emerged of injuries, property damage, flooding, downed power lines, and fallen trees. The full extent of the damage was still being assessed on Sunday morning.
Sulphur, located about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City, experienced significant impacts from at least two large tornadoes overnight. A flood warning was issued for the city as the weather service warned of an extremely dangerous tornado approaching from the south.
The severe weather threat extended beyond Oklahoma, with nearly 47 million people at risk from Texas northward into the upper Mississippi River Valley. Communities in Nebraska and Iowa were also grappling with the aftermath of the storms.
I guarantee you that the folks that suffered tornado damage over the last few days could use that $100 billion sent to foreign countries. pic.twitter.com/NgzmEEWHpB
— Goat IE (@RanPar1972) April 29, 2024
Severe Weather Threat Continues as Tornadoes Target Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas
The severe weather outbreak that has already caused significant damage in Oklahoma is poised to move eastward across the southern Plains, bringing the risk of strong tornadoes to cities like Dallas and Austin in Texas, Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma, Wichita and Topeka in Kansas, and the Kansas City metropolitan area.
As of Sunday night, over 4 million people are under tornado watches, which extend from parts of eastern Texas into northern Louisiana, far western Mississippi, western Arkansas, far eastern Oklahoma, and southwestern Missouri. This includes cities such as Fort Smith and Pine Bluff in Arkansas, as well as Shreveport, Louisiana.
The Storm Prediction Center warns that the storms could produce hail as large as ping pong balls and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph.
In Oklahoma, the weather service reported two tornadoes crossing Highway 9 between Goldsby and Blanchard simultaneously on Saturday night. Additionally, a tornado sighting occurred just east of Tinker Air Force Base, prompting the University of Oklahoma to issue an urgent shelter-in-place warning for students and staff.
Catastrophic damage in Sulphur, Oklahoma, after an overnight tornado. #OKwx pic.twitter.com/Pq8LmRUSCC
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) April 28, 2024
Oklahoma Activates Emergency Operations Center as Severe Weather Persists
In response to the severe weather outbreak, Oklahoma’s emergency operations center was activated on Saturday, as announced by Governor Kevin Stitt in a Facebook post. The governor urged residents to stay weather-aware and identify safe shelter locations in case of severe storm threats.
In addition to the destructive tornadoes, the storms brought heavy rainfall, exacerbating the life-threatening situation. Trinity County, Texas, received up to 10 inches of rainfall, prompting a flash flood emergency. Swift water rescues were underway as the National Weather Service in Houston warned of an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.”
The Storm Prediction Center elevated the severe storm threat for Sunday to a level 3 out of 5 for an area stretching from eastern Texas to southern Missouri, encompassing cities like Shreveport, Little Rock, and Springfield. Communities from southeastern Texas to southern Iowa were placed under a level 2 out of 5 severe storm threat.
The midsection of the country is expected to experience unsettled weather conditions into Monday.
