Families in Oklahoma’s Enid began cleaning up on Friday (local time) after a powerful storm produced at least one violent , AP reported. The twister tore through the area, damaging dozens of homes, shifting buildings off their foundations, and stripping bark from trees.
Despite the rubble, no one was killed, but minor injuries were reported. Many people waited out the storm inside cellars, and others heeded evacuation notices. At least 40 homes were reportedly damaged, and light damage occurred at a nearby Air Force base.
However, the most extensive damage was reported in Enid, a city of roughly 50,000 people near Oklahoma’s northern border in Garfield County, where a tornado was confirmed, according to the . Video showed a rapidly rotating column of air touching down, along with totaled homes.
Survivors seek shelter in cellars
Several people took shelter in cellars. Justin Hunt of Enid, who headed to his parents’ house amid news reports that the tornado was close, took shelter in their cellar. He later told AP, “Especially in Oklahoma, we have great meteorologists.”
Hunt said that he had taken shelter in that cellar about 30 times before, but nothing like this had ever happened. Usually, he comes out, and everything is fine, but this time, when he emerged, his parents’ home was badly damaged, with broken windows, a collapsed garage door, and a heavily damaged roof.
While basements aren’t typical in due to the red clay soil and elevated water tables that make them increasingly difficult and expensive to install, many homes in the state do have storm cellars or safe rooms with reinforced concrete walls where people can take cover during tornadoes.
Storm wreaks widespread destruction
The storm wreaked widespread destruction in the area, where commercial buildings just south of the city were turned into piles of twisted metal, splintered wood, and insulation by powerful winds that pushed the buildings completely off their concrete foundations.
The took down utility poles and left power lines wrapped with huge chunks of debris. The report suggests that a home had part of its metal roof torn off, and trees were left stripped of bark and limbs.
Emergency crews go door-to-door
In Enid, emergency crews, including police and fire departments and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, conducted multiple home searches, rescuing trapped residents, Mayor David Mason said.
Mason said some of the worst damage happened in Gray Ridge, a neighbourhood on the south side of the city, where homes were knocked down. “The support from our community has been remarkable. Businesses have offered equipment and labor, residents have opened their doors, and supplies have poured in already,” Mason posted online. “This is who Enid is in challenging moments — we continue to show up for one another.”
More bad weather likely?
Citing the weather service, AP reported that more bad were likely through Friday night across south-central and southeast Oklahoma. Strong to severe thunderstorms are likely to develop on Saturday, including in Enid.
Storms also lashed other states. In Kearney, Missouri, north of Kansas City, officials reported downed trees, debris blocking roads, and damage to homes after the system moved through Thursday night. No injuries were reported, according to a social media post. Crews had begun clearing roads by early Friday and were expected to continue cleanup efforts throughout the day.
(with AP inputs)
