© 2024 KGOU
News and Music for Oklahoma
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Fallin Declares State Of Emergency For 25 Counties After Oklahoma Tornadoes

Updated 2:31 p.m.: National Weather Service issues preliminary report

The Norman office of the National Weather Service spent Thursday assessing the aftermath of Wednesday's tornado and damaging straight line winds, and are surveying damage in southwest Oklahoma City and Moore.

The Weather Service received some criticism on social media for the timing of the tornado warning, and Thursday's report estimates the first tornado warning was issued six minutes after the twister developed over southwest Oklahoma City.

"Our decision to issue a tornado warning was based on spotters and reports relayed by the media," the report says. "Situations like the one on March 25 are complicated, and the storms that produced the damage are difficult to anticipiate and extremely difficult to warn for."

Forecasters did say when tornadoes like this do occur, they generally don't cause as much damage as larger, deadly tornadoes like May 3, 1999 or May 20, 2013.

Updated 2:09 p.m.: Reactions from residents affected by Wednesday's storms

Cleanup has started in Moore on Thursday after a tornado touched down Wednesday evening. It’s the same city where a deadly tornado struck nearly two years ago and killed two dozen people..

Residents are well acquainted with tornadoes, since Moore was hit hard in 1999, 2003, and 2010. Joetta Strain has ridden out several of them in the home she’s had since 1973. But after this one, Strain stood outside her now severely damaged house, clutching an old, black and white photograph.

"This is the picture of my mom and dad. This is what I worried about," Strain told KGOU's Kate Carlton Greer. "And my grandson got it for me. The rest of the stuff can be replaced. "

Strain’s home is directly across from Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School, which sustained enough damage to cancel classes. Students will attend class at Emmaus Baptist Church until repairs are done.

In a Red Cross shelter in Sapulpa, Steven Horsley is assessing what he’s going to do next. His trailer home and many of his possessions are gone, hit by the tornado that struck the River Oaks Trailer Park west of Sand Springs.

Horsley says the winds picked him up and threw him into the air before he and a neighbor and three young girls could get inside seeking shelter. He survived with only a scratch on the side of his face. He’s not sure where his dog is now, but hopes she is being kept safe by an animal rescue group that came and gathered pets at the devastated trailer park.

Horsley told Public Radio Tulsa's John Durkee his home is a total loss. He’ll try to salvage what he can and start over.

Updated 9:49 a.m.: Fallin tours Moore school heavily damaged by storm

Gov. Mary Fallin has declared a state of emergency for 25 Oklahoma counties affected by Wednesday's tornadoes that claimed one life in Sand Springs, and injured others in northeast and central Oklahoma.

The disaster declaration allows the state to see if it qualifies for federal assistance funds, although Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis said he wasn't sure the city sustained enough damage to recieve aid from Washington.

Gov. Mary Fallin speaks to members of the media March 26 after touring the damage at Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School in Moore.
Credit Kate Carlton Greer / KGOU
/
KGOU
Gov. Mary Fallin speaks to members of the media Wednesday morning after touring the damage at Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School in Moore.

"This is kind of a junior tornado for us," Lewis said. "We've been through more tornadoes than anybody in the world, probably."

Fallin toured the Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School in Moore Thursday morning, with Lewis and Moore Public Schools Superintendent Robert Romines. 

"We've been through this before. We know what to do," Fallin said. "It's hard to believe that two years later we're back at a Moore public school surveying damage. I am very thankful that this school did not receive this damage during school hours."

Romines said Southgate-Rippetoe took a direct hit from Wednesday evening's storms, and the west wing sustained heavy roof damage and flooding. He said the contents were likely a total loss.

When Moore Public Schools reopen, Southgate-Rippetoe students will resume classes at nearby Emmaus Baptist Church. That's the same site where Briarwood Elementary students attended classes after their school was destroyed in 2013. Romines said many other campuses in the district sustained damage as well.

A classroom at the damaged Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School in Moore, that took a direct hit during Wednesday's tornado.
Credit Kate Carlton Greer / KGOU
/
KGOU
A classroom at the damaged Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School in Moore that took a direct hit during Wednesday's tornado.

"It's important to us to make sure those schools are ready to go for kids to enter, and we will not allow that to happen until we know the schools are safe," Romines said.

Roads remain closed around the areas hardest hit by Wednesday evening's storms, namely areas extending from SW 119th Street and Western Ave. in Oklahoma City, southeast across Interstate 35 toward Southeast 34th Street and Sunnylane in Moore.

Updated 7:16 a.m.: Recovery efforts underway

The Red Cross and the Salvation Army are in Moore Thursday providing cleaning supplies, rakes, gloves, food and drinks to residents, first responders, and emergency crews in tornado-affected areas.

The collaborative church group Serve Moore is also coordinating a volunteer plan Thursday morning it says will likely include tarping roofs, minor home repairs and debris removal.

Cleanup begins at 9 a.m. at the Moore Community Center at 301 South Howard Ave. in Moore, and they’re encouraging volunteers to wear gloves for debris removal.

Oklahoma City's animal welfare division has been patrolling the streets looking for any pets that may have gone missing during the chaos.

The National Weather Service plans to survey damage in the Oklahoma City and Moore Thursday and will provide more information as it becomes available.

Credit National Weather Service
/
National Weather Service

Original Post

Several injuries were reported and tens of thousands of central Oklahoma residents were without power Wednesday evening after a tornado touched down in Moore.

The National Weather Service says a brief, weak tornado formed in west Moore shortly after 6:30 p.m. and dissipated before 7 p.m. on the northeast side of Norman, crossing Interstate 35 and overturning vehicles between SW19th and 4th streets.

That same area was heavily affected the most recent severe weather episode in central Oklahoma that took place between May 20-31, 2013. A convenience store at the intersection of SW 119th Street and Western Ave. in Oklahoma City received significant damage, along with houses in residential neighborhoods on either side of SW 4th Street between Telephone Rd. and Santa Fe Ave.

The City of Moore said on its Facebook page it does not need tornado relief assistance at this time, and the best way to help is to simply avoid the area. Moore police and fire crews will make the call for volunteers only if and when it's needed.

The Moore and Western Heights school districts canceled classes Thursday. Moore Public Schools superintendent Robert Romines said Southgate Elementary School took heavy damage, including destruction of the roof.

The Norman Transcript reports medical facilities in Moore were treating several minor tornado-related injuries.

“What we are hearing is there were about 17 patients and staff who took shelter in the safe rooms on site at the Moore Medical Emergency department,” said Richie Splitt, Chief Administrative Officer of Norman Regional HealthPlex and the Moore Medical Center. Safe rooms to accommodate staff and patients during inclement weather were constructed as part of the temporary emergency services established after the Moore Medical Center was destroyed in the May 20, 2013 tornado. “We had some damage to the awning and some other slight damages, but all patients and staff are safe and we are open for business,” Splitt said. “We never missed a beat in caring for those in need.”

A separate tornado moved through the Sand Springs and Tulsa area earlier Wednesday, damaging a gymnastics facility and mobile home park. The Emergency Medical Services Authority confirmed on Facebookone person died at the mobile home park near Sand Springs. Several patients were transported to area hospitals, and more are expected as crews continue to search structures.

Remarkably, no injuries were reported at the gymnastics facility on Charles Page Blvd. As many as 70 people were inside the building when a significant part of the structure collapsed.

EMSA is also responding to several fires and traffic accidents caused by the severe storms.

The Tulsa office of the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency early Wednesday afternoon, calling it a "particularly dangerous situation" as a large tornado moved through a populated area during rush hour.

Emergency managers and American Red Cross volunteers are spread across central and northeast Oklahoma and will work through the night to assess damage and provide relief.

----------------------------------------------------

KGOU is a community-supported news organization and relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online, or by contacting our Membership department.

Brian Hardzinski is from Flower Mound, Texas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He began his career at KGOU as a student intern, joining KGOU full time in 2009 as Operations and Public Service Announcement Director. He began regularly hosting Morning Edition in 2014, and became the station's first Digital News Editor in 2015-16. Brian’s work at KGOU has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI), the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters, and local and regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian enjoys competing in triathlons, distance running, playing tennis, and entertaining his rambunctious Boston Terrier, Bucky.
More News
Support nonprofit, public service journalism you trust. Give now.