Elk City, Oklahoma – A devastating tornado outbreak overnight in Oklahoma has left a trail of destruction, claiming the lives of at least three people, including an infant. The National Weather Service reported multiple large and extremely dangerous tornadoes on the ground simultaneously across parts of Oklahoma, with two deaths in Holdenville and a third near Marietta on I-35.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has declared an emergency disaster and is set to tour storm damage in the town of Sulphur and Holdenville. The damage caused by the storms includes injuries, property damage, flooding, and downed power lines and trees across several counties, leaving the extent of the destruction unclear.
Sulphur, located about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City, experienced the impacts of at least two large tornadoes overnight, with a flood warning issued for the city. The weather service has warned of a large and extremely dangerous tornado moving north at 35 mph, urging first responders to prepare for additional tornado impacts.
With nearly 47 million people at risk for severe weather from east Texas northward into the upper Mississippi River Valley, the communities in Nebraska and Iowa are now surveying the aftermath of the storms. Cities including Dallas, Austin, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Wichita, Topeka, and the Kansas City metropolitan area are bracing for strong tornadoes as the storms push eastward across the southern Plains.
More than 7 million people are currently under tornado watches stretching over 800 miles from Texas to southern Wisconsin, with the watch areas due to expire between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. CT. The weather service has reported multiple tornadoes crossing Oklahoma, including sightings near Goldsby, Blanchard, and Tinker Air Force Base.
As the situation unfolds, Oklahoma’s emergency operations center has been activated to coordinate response efforts. Governor Stitt has urged residents to stay weather aware and to know where to seek shelter in the event of a severe storm threat.
The devastating storms have brought heavy rainfall, exacerbating the already life-threatening situation. Flash flood warnings are in effect in Texas, including in Dallas, Johnson, Parker, and Tarrant counties, with heavy rainfall causing significant damage to homes and infrastructure across the affected areas.