Severe storms hit multiple counties in Oklahoma on Saturday night, April 27th, resulting in at least 2 deaths, multiple injuries, and tens of thousands of people affected by power outages, according to authorities. Governor Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency for 12 counties on Sunday.
Since Friday, a large number of tornadoes have caused severe damage in the central United States. Flood warnings have been issued in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas.
On Sunday, nearly 47 million people from eastern Texas to northern Mississippi Valley were at risk of severe weather impacts.
In Oklahoma, emergency officials confirmed that a tornado swept through the western part of Hughes County around 11 p.m. on Saturday night, destroying or damaging many buildings.
According to the Associated Press, emergency medical services in Hughes County reported on Sunday that a tornado struck the town of Holdenville, with about 5,000 residents, on Saturday evening, resulting in 2 deaths and 4 injuries.
Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma issued an executive order on Sunday declaring a state of emergency for 12 counties. Workers are working to clear debris and assess the losses.
In the town of Sulphur, 80 miles south of Oklahoma City, at least two tornadoes were reported to have occurred, with one striking Marietta and crossing directly over Highway 35.
Sunday morning saw videos and photos on social media showing severe destruction in Sulphur. Streets were left in chaos with scattered bricks and fallen trees everywhere. Numerous building roofs were blown away.
The Red Cross in Oklahoma stated that they were setting up a shelter in Sulphur and coordinating with officials to help meet the emergency needs of affected residents statewide.
Officials reported that communities in Garfield, Grant, Kay, Payne, and several other counties in Oklahoma also suffered damage to homes and other buildings.
The National Weather Service in Norman stated earlier on Sunday that while tornado warnings had been lifted, flash flooding was now the primary threat.
On Friday and Saturday, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes hit various regions from Texas to the Great Lakes. Officials said about 106 tornadoes were detected in six states on Friday, with Nebraska and Iowa being the most severely affected.
In Kansas, the National Weather Service confirmed a “large and dangerous tornado” near the town of Howard on Saturday afternoon.
The National Weather Service in the United States confirmed multiple tornadoes in at least three counties in North Texas the day before, with Navarro County experiencing three tornadoes.
Tornadoes on Friday night focused on the central-western region of the United States, particularly in Nebraska and Iowa. As a building collapsed with dozens of people inside, hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged.
Elkhorn resident Pat Woods told CBS News that when the tornado hit, they sought shelter, and upon their return, their fence was gone. Looking to the northwest, the entire community was gone.
According to information from the website poweroutage.us tracking utility reports, as of the time of writing, Texas had 52,184 households without power; Oklahoma had 30,511 households without power; Michigan had 3,622 households without power; and Arkansas had 3,336 households without power.