Tornadoes in Oklahoma claimed the lives of four people, including an infant, and left thousands without power on Sunday. The severe tornado outbreak caused extensive damage across parts of the state.
According to the Associated Press, the severe storms flattened buildings in the center of a rural town and injured over 100 people. "You just can't believe the destruction," Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt remarked during a visit to the heavily impacted town. "It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed."
More than 20,000 people remained without electricity hours after the tornadoes struck late on Saturday night. The town of Sulphur, with a population of about 5,000, experienced severe damage. A tornado tore through the downtown area, demolishing numerous buildings, tossing cars and buses, and ripping off roofs across a 15-block radius.
State of Emergency' Declared
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt declared a 'state of emergency' for the state on Sunday, enabling additional funds to support first responders and recovery efforts.
The intense rainfall that accompanied the tornadoes caused substantial flooding and prompted water rescues. Outside Sulphur, rising lake levels led to the closure of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, where the storms demolished a pedestrian bridge.
Governor Kevin Stitt, who has been in office since 2019, noted that this was "definitely the most damage since I've been governor" during his visit to Sulphur, one of the areas hardest hit by the tornadoes, as he provided an update on the casualties and destruction. He also mentioned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had offered federal assistance to aid in recovery efforts.
According to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility outages, more than 30,000 customers in Oklahoma were without electricity as of midday Sunday, while nearly 52,000 customers in Texas experienced power outages due to the severe weather.
The National Weather Service issued storm warnings on Sunday for over 47 million people from East Texas northward through Illinois and Wisconsin, warning of high winds, heavy rain, and hail.
