Sulphur, Oklahoma woke up to scenes of destruction on Sunday, with several counties across the state reporting severe structural damage, closed highways, power outages, injuries, and at least five deaths. Overnight, there have been 35 reports of tornadoes in the area, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
Across Oklahoma, twenty-seven million people remained at risk of severe weather into Sunday, including threats of strong wind gusts, hail, flooding, and the potential for more tornadoes. This comes just days after more than 100 tornadoes wreaked havoc in six states, with Nebraska and Iowa being the hardest hit, according to officials.
The National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma confirmed the presence of multiple tornadoes in its area, including one near Davenport and more than one in the Sulphur area. The small town of Sulphur, with a population of about 5,000 people 80 miles south of Oklahoma City, appeared to have suffered the most damage.
On Sunday, preliminary damage surveys revealed that tornadoes with at least an EF3 rating tore through Sulphur and Marietta in Oklahoma. The extent of the damage prompted further investigations to determine if the rating could be upgraded to a higher level.
Reports of significant damage came from various counties, including Sulphur in Murray County and Marietta in Love County. The storms also caused disruption at Marietta Hospital, leading to patients needing shelter. Additionally, tragic incidents were reported, such as four semitrucks overturning on Interstate 35 in Marietta, resulting in one fatality, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Oklahoma’s Office of Emergency Management confirmed three deaths, with one occurring near Marietta on I-35 and two others in Holdenville. Governor Kevin Stitt arrived in Sulphur on Sunday, revealing that a fourth person had lost their life in the downtown area. The victims included a 4-month-old infant in Holdenville, as reported by Stitt’s press secretary.