Severe storms in Oklahoma injure at least 6, leave tens of thousands without power – Boston News, Weather, Sports
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Severe storms in Oklahoma injure at least 6, leave tens of thousands without power – Boston News, Weather, Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Powerful storms and tornadoes hit Oklahoma early Sunday, tossing cars and ripping roofs off buildings in the middle of the night, leaving about 86,000 homes and businesses without power. At least six people were injured, the authorities said.

The extent of the damage came into sharper focus as daylight broke after the powerful overnight storms that marched through Oklahoma City, the state capital, and triggered tornado warnings that stretched toward the Arkansas border. Local television footage showed downed power lines, walls peeled from homes, overturned vehicles and neighborhood streets littered with debris.

At least six people were transported to hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening, said Oklahoma City Police Capt. Valerie Littlejohn.

In the small town of Choctaw, just outside Oklahoma City, authorities said a tornado hit an area just after midnight. Firefighters and police officers went door-to-door to inquire about injuries and officials opened a basic gym as a shelter, according to the Choctaw Police Department.

“There is significant damage to homes in the area,” the department wrote on Facebook.

There was also flooding in some areas and a house caught fire after being struck by lightning.

A handful of shelters — including one opened at a casino by the American Red Cross — are available for displaced residents or those without power, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said.

Flooding caused by heavy rains occurred in some areas, and a house caught fire after being struck by lightning, the department said.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South also suffered damage, state health officials said.

The Oklahoma Fire Department said in a Facebook post early Saturday that crews had rescued two people who were trapped in an overturned mobile home.

At the University of Oklahoma, school officials had urged students and staff to seek shelter and move to the lowest floor as the storms approached the campus after midnight. The National Weather Service office in Norman also issued urgent warnings, posting on social media that “If you are in the path of this storm, take shelter immediately!”

Parts of Oklahoma remained at risk for more heavy rainfall and thunderstorms later Sunday.

(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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