Destruction Unleashed: Overnight Tornadoes Leave Thousands Without Power in Oklahoma
ICARO Media Group
**Powerful Overnight Tornadoes Devastate Oklahoma, Thousands Without Power**
Early Sunday morning, Oklahoma was rocked by severe storms and tornadoes that wreaked havoc, flipping cars and stripping roofs off buildings during the night. As dawn broke, the extent of the destruction in Oklahoma City and surrounding areas became more apparent, revealing scenes of chaos and damage. Tornado warnings were issued as the storms moved towards the Arkansas border.
Local TV broadcasts showcased the aftermath with images of downed power lines, walls torn from buildings, overturned vehicles, and streets strewn with debris. The Oklahoma City Police Department reported at least six people had been taken to nearby hospitals, though none of the injuries were life-threatening. Captain Valerie Littlejohn noted that the storms caused significant damage to power lines, gas lines, trees, and traffic infrastructure.
At the peak of the storm, approximately 95,000 Oklahomans experienced power outages, a figure that had been reduced to about 37,000 by early Sunday afternoon, according to data from PowerOutage.us. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado watch for the region and emphasized the urgency of seeking shelter as the storms approached. A particularly severe thunderstorm with a tornado made its way through eastern Oklahoma City towards Midwest City and Tinker Air Force Base.
In the town of Choctaw, just outside Oklahoma City, a tornado struck a neighborhood shortly after midnight. Emergency responders, including firefighters and police officers, conducted door-to-door checks for injuries and helped residents. Authorities set up an elementary school gymnasium as a temporary shelter. The Choctaw Police Department communicated through social media, stressing the "significant damage to homes in the area."
Heavy rainfall also led to flooding in certain locations, and one house caught fire after being struck by lightning. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management announced the availability of several shelters, including a facility opened by the American Red Cross at a local casino, to assist displaced residents and those without power.
Additionally, the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South sustained damage due to the storms. Emergency rescue teams managed to save two individuals trapped inside an overturned mobile home, according to a social media post by the Oklahoma Fire Department.
The University of Oklahoma also took precautions, urging students and staff to seek shelter and move to the lowest floors of buildings as the storms threatened the campus post-midnight. Parts of Oklahoma remain at risk for further heavy rainfall and thunderstorms later in the day.