Post by Paddy by Grace on Feb 11, 2009 17:46:31 GMT -7
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29125653
Several unusual February twisters touch down across state
OKLAHOMA CITY - A tornado ripped through a southern Oklahoma town Tuesday night, reportedly killing 15 people and injuring dozens of others. Severe weather also caused damage and power outages in Oklahoma City and western Texas.
Rescue crews were searching for victims in the rubble of buildings destroyed or damaged by the tornado in Lone Grove, a town about 100 miles south of Oklahoma City, said Chester Agan, assistant emergency manager for Carter County.
"They just got one lady out from under a trailer ... but she was just injured," Agan said.
The Oklahoman newspaper quoted state officials as saying the death toll had reached 15 in Lone Grove, with up to 50 others injured.
The National Weather Service said the tornado that hit Lone Grove was large and violent.
It was one of several unusual February twisters that touched down in Oklahoma, including in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, where homes and businesses were damaged but only three minor injuries were reported.
'It's just surreal'
Six homes were destroyed near the Oklahoma City suburb of Edmond, where a car mechanic shop and the vehicles inside were twisted into a ball of metal.
"It's just surreal," said shop manager Michael Jerry, who had waited out the storm at home. "You just don't believe it. ... The steel girders are in a ball."
In northwest Oklahoma City, the twister apparently developed near Wiley Post Airport and headed northeast, damaging shopping centers, restaurants and an apartment complex. Signs were stripped, and cars were damaged.
Tornado sirens warned residents the storm was approaching, but some were still caught off guard.
"I can't believe we didn't hear it. You know how you normally hear it coming," said Traci Keil, 37.
Between downpours of rain, some residents wandered out to snap pictures of the wreckage or to clear debris blocking cars.
"My kids are still in the closet and won't come out," Keil said as a third wave of downpours approached her apartment complex, more than an hour after the twister hit.
Power lines littered an intersection where motorists were told to stay in their cars until crews could clear the lines.
Oklahoma Gas and Electric reported about 8,900 customers without power, nearly 3,500 in Lone Grove, according to its Web site. Less than 1,000 Oklahoma City area customers were still in the dark. Eighteen power poles were snapped.
The Oklahoma County Election Board was preparing to tally votes for a school board election when a large area north of the state Capitol lost power about an hour before the polls closed. Election board secretary Doug Sanderson said election materials would be locked up overnight, and workers would start tallying on Wednesday.
overnight, and workers would start tallying on Wednesday.
Besides the tornadoes, one of which was reported in north-central Oklahoma, strong winds caused damage in southern and central Oklahoma, according to state emergency management officials.
In the area of the fatal tornado, one house was damaged in the town of Wilson, officials said. In Logan County, 20 homes were damaged near Henney, east of Guthrie. No injuries were reported in either town.
Tornadoes are most numerous in Oklahoma in the spring, but can occur at any time, Smith said. The threat for twisters extended into early Wednesday, with the weather service issuing a tornado watch for southeastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas.
Winds of more than 60 mph caused dust storms in western Texas that reduced visibility so much some roads have been closed, the National Weather Service said. It said wind speeds reached 88 mph in parts of Texas, leaving downed trees and power outages Tuesday night.
Several unusual February twisters touch down across state
OKLAHOMA CITY - A tornado ripped through a southern Oklahoma town Tuesday night, reportedly killing 15 people and injuring dozens of others. Severe weather also caused damage and power outages in Oklahoma City and western Texas.
Rescue crews were searching for victims in the rubble of buildings destroyed or damaged by the tornado in Lone Grove, a town about 100 miles south of Oklahoma City, said Chester Agan, assistant emergency manager for Carter County.
"They just got one lady out from under a trailer ... but she was just injured," Agan said.
The Oklahoman newspaper quoted state officials as saying the death toll had reached 15 in Lone Grove, with up to 50 others injured.
The National Weather Service said the tornado that hit Lone Grove was large and violent.
It was one of several unusual February twisters that touched down in Oklahoma, including in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, where homes and businesses were damaged but only three minor injuries were reported.
'It's just surreal'
Six homes were destroyed near the Oklahoma City suburb of Edmond, where a car mechanic shop and the vehicles inside were twisted into a ball of metal.
"It's just surreal," said shop manager Michael Jerry, who had waited out the storm at home. "You just don't believe it. ... The steel girders are in a ball."
In northwest Oklahoma City, the twister apparently developed near Wiley Post Airport and headed northeast, damaging shopping centers, restaurants and an apartment complex. Signs were stripped, and cars were damaged.
Tornado sirens warned residents the storm was approaching, but some were still caught off guard.
"I can't believe we didn't hear it. You know how you normally hear it coming," said Traci Keil, 37.
Between downpours of rain, some residents wandered out to snap pictures of the wreckage or to clear debris blocking cars.
"My kids are still in the closet and won't come out," Keil said as a third wave of downpours approached her apartment complex, more than an hour after the twister hit.
Power lines littered an intersection where motorists were told to stay in their cars until crews could clear the lines.
Oklahoma Gas and Electric reported about 8,900 customers without power, nearly 3,500 in Lone Grove, according to its Web site. Less than 1,000 Oklahoma City area customers were still in the dark. Eighteen power poles were snapped.
The Oklahoma County Election Board was preparing to tally votes for a school board election when a large area north of the state Capitol lost power about an hour before the polls closed. Election board secretary Doug Sanderson said election materials would be locked up overnight, and workers would start tallying on Wednesday.
overnight, and workers would start tallying on Wednesday.
Besides the tornadoes, one of which was reported in north-central Oklahoma, strong winds caused damage in southern and central Oklahoma, according to state emergency management officials.
In the area of the fatal tornado, one house was damaged in the town of Wilson, officials said. In Logan County, 20 homes were damaged near Henney, east of Guthrie. No injuries were reported in either town.
Tornadoes are most numerous in Oklahoma in the spring, but can occur at any time, Smith said. The threat for twisters extended into early Wednesday, with the weather service issuing a tornado watch for southeastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas.
Winds of more than 60 mph caused dust storms in western Texas that reduced visibility so much some roads have been closed, the National Weather Service said. It said wind speeds reached 88 mph in parts of Texas, leaving downed trees and power outages Tuesday night.