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Posted 5/8/2003 7:00 PM

Tornadoes touch down in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A large tornado has apparently touched down in southern Oklahoma City and its southeastern suburbs.

Footage showed heavy damage to Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and the General Motors plant in south Oklahoma County.

There were reports of injuries at the GM plant, but that could not be immediately confirmed.

The storm has parrelled Interstate 240, destroying metal industrial buildings, a mobile home sales lots, a bank, a fast-food restaurant and tossed 18-wheelers.

There also were reports of leveled businesses near I-240, a major thoroughfare in central Oklahoma.

Structures were stripped of roofs, automobiles and mobile homes were strewn across the landscape.

Power lines and large trees also were toppled and other debris could be seen.

The large twister touched down in Moore, a southern Oklahoma City suburb, initially about 5:15 p.m.

The tornado then tracked over Interstate 35 and over Crossroads Mall and tracked east-southeast toward Midwest City and Del City. Sirens sounded in Moore and the southern Oklahoma City area just before 5 p.m.

A television helicopter pilot said he saw a mobile home in the air near Moore.

Officials have shut down eastbound I-240.

It just seems like the Midwest City and Moore area attracts tornados....I remember when the last big tornado hit that took out the gym where the state basketball playoffs were going to be held. My high school's basketball team was on a bus halfway there when the tornado hit....

Any new developments on the track of this storm and on the tornados? (I have't seen anything confirming that they aren't still on the ground) What about the weather situation in Kansas? (I also have family all over that area...) Thanks!