Another tornado moving into Oklahoma City

http://kamala.cod.edu/svr/ ^

[Lucas1]

Storm spotters report a large tornado approaching Oklahoma City. This just happened yesterday. God be with those people.

[kcvl]

"We were lucky, basically," said Gary Bird, deputy fire chief in Moore. "We had warning from the National Weather Service, and Moore had replaced and upgraded all of its warning sirens, so that helped a lot. People pay a lot more attention."

The state insurance commissioner estimated damage at more than $100 million from Thursday's tornado. But in a week where tornadoes killed 42 people in Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas and Illinois, officials here were counting their blessings.

"It's amazing to me that we didn't lose lives," Gov. Brad Henry said after walking through devastated neighborhoods in Moore.

More than 100 people were treated for injuries after the tornado, but only 21 remained hospitalized Friday, said Paul O'Leary, a spokesman for Oklahoma City's ambulance service. At least three were in critical condition.

Thursday's tornado ripped through southern Oklahoma City with winds the National Weather Service measured at about 200 mph.

Blaring tornado sirens and TV and radio bulletins provided 10 to 20 minutes' warning in most cases, enough time for thousands of people to scramble into cellars, closets and safe rooms and pull mattresses over their heads before the twister peeled off roofs, blew away walls and uprooted trees Thursday afternoon.

Mary Pace and her husband, E.O., scrambled into a neighbor's cellar when the sirens went off in Moore.

"It boomed just like a big explosion," said Mary Pace, 76. "It looks like a bomb hit, too."

Their red brick house was missing its roof and two walls. The rest of the structure was a mess of insulation, tar paper, roofing and clothes, but she and her 80-year-old husband were not hurt.

Carmelita Jackson took shelter in a hall closet, then had to dig her way out from under a pile of bricks, boards and drywall.

"My life flashed before my eyes," she said. "It was more instinct. You didn't think about where to hide; you just did it."

It was the third twister to hit Moore in six years.

"I just can't imagine why it keeps coming down the same path," said Shearon Cunningham, standing outside her daughter's home, which had caved-in walls and no roof. "Every day in May and June you live on pins and needles."

About 50 homes and 10 businesses were heavily damaged or destroyed in Oklahoma City. In nearby Choctaw, nearly 100 homes were damaged and 10 to 15 were destroyed, fire officials said.

The heaviest damage was in Moore, where the tornado chewed up a path a quarter-mile wide and 31/2 miles long. Bird said 300 homes and 35 businesses were destroyed.

Chain saws were fired up throughout Moore as workers cut away trees that had been uprooted by the tornado and dropped on homes.

Jim and Frances Clark sat on lawn chairs in their front yard, waiting for their insurance agent. Their roof was blown off and a neighbor's washing machine was hurled through their garage roof and landed on their car.

"We'll start trying to pick up as soon as the insurance man tells us what to do," Frances Clark said. "Homes can always be replaced."

For some, the twister rekindled memories of the May 3, 1999, tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City area and killed 44 people.

Frances Clark said she hid in the same spot for both tornadoes.

"It is Tornado Alley, so you get used to it," she said.

In the South, floodwaters blamed for at least one death began receding in Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Hundreds of people fled their homes this week because of high water on the Tennessee River and other streams.

The Tennessee reached its highest level since 1973, damaging nearly 500 buildings and causing millions of dollars in damage in Chattanooga, Tenn. Some 300 people left West Point, Ga., 75 miles southwest of Atlanta, as the Chattahoochee River reached its highest level since at least 1961.

Police in Chattanooga found the body of a man in a flooded tire lot. In nearby East Ridge, some of the more than 1,000 evacuees were returning to their houses, apartments and a retirement center.

"A lot of the water has receded. It's like somebody has pulled the cork out of the drain," Deputy Fire Chief Ken Gann said.

[I'm ALL Right!]

Closing Turner Turnpike, as the tornado seems to be following that path. I heard it hit Frontier City. New severe T-storm warning just issued for Tulsa County. Here we go...

[PhiKapMom]

Stay safe to both you and your families. The supercell with tornadoes is tracking just south of Turner Turnpike and will be in Stroud shortly.

[kcvl]

Large tornado hits Oklahoma City
2003-05-09
From staff and wire reports



A large tornado slammed into north Oklahoma City late Friday, causing significant damage and possible injuries just a day after a twister struck the city's south side.
NEWS 9 reports the following damage:


Significant roof damage at Putnam City West High School on NW 23 and Council.

Also, SE 33 in Edmond and Broadway Extension has been blocked off due to downed power lines.

Damage has been reported at I-35 and Britton Rd.

Several planes damaged at Wiley Post Airport.

The city of Edmond east of Broadway Extension is without power.

According to Detective Mike Klika, Oklahoma City Police Department, damage to structures occurred in Mustang, Bethany, Warr Acres and The Village.
Spotters tracking the storm reported debris, including overturned cars and downed power lines.

Some of the overturned cars were reported on Interstate-44 in Oklahoma City.

The tornado first touched down west of Oklahoma City along Interstate-40, reportedly damaging a Xerox plant. There also were reports of power flashes in between Mustang and Yukon, two Oklahoma City suburbs.

About 23,000 people were reported without power in Oklahoma City.

Television weathermen reported the tornado was still on the ground after passing through Oklahoma City and appeared to be tracking along Interstate-44.

Earlier, a tornado touched down near Cogar.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed Interstate-44 westbound at the Tulsa gate with a twister reported on the ground and moving toward Chandler.

Bethany police and fire departments were reporting damage as well.

The tornado struck just as the city began cleaning up from a twister that destroyed more than 300 houses and business in and around Oklahoma City on Thursday.

That storm carved a 19-mile path through the most densely populated part of the state, injuring 134 people but killing no one.

The National Weather Service measured winds speeds at about 200 mph in Thursday's storm. That tornado's path took it through south Oklahoma City, with a quarter-mile wide, 3 1/2-mile long section of Moore taking the brunt of the damage. Homes were ripped apart, trees uprooted and heavy debris scattered on Thursday.

Of those injured in the first storm, 21 remained hospitalized Friday, said Paul O'Leary, a spokesman for Oklahoma City's ambulance service. At least three were in critical condition.

The damage from the first storm prompted Gov. Brad Henry to declare a state of emergency in Cleveland and Oklahoma counties. He also sent a request to President Bush asking for an expedited federal declaration of emergency to clear the way for federal assistance in the cleanup.

[TomGuy]

Okmulgee county (OK). A cell has popped up in sw part of the county. Small but intense.

Cells could merge later....and create much more havoc.

[PhiKapMom]

My youngest daughter and I were through that area this afternoon as I had to go to the Crossroads Mall area and hard to believe no one was killed in that area -- devastation was really bad.

[PhiKapMom]

That supercell already contains 7-8 tornadoes that seem to take turns touching down. Cannot imagine if it joins up with other cells. In parts of the area, 3-4 tornadoes were on the ground at the same time.

[mikegi]

I think a second hook has formed behind the main one. This one is right on top of the highway. It has a "feeder band" curving into it just like the other one.

[TomGuy]

Oakdale School (elementary) auditorium significantly damaged (OKC area)

[dennis1x]

current storms should not move over Tulsa...strongest cell to move to south, offshoot to move to north.....

[WSGilcrest]

I don't think I'd want a warning that was so granular. People a block away might start thinking that they're safe.

[I'm ALL Right!]

You stay safe too. Please everyone in OK, check back in after these storms pass. Want to be certain everyone is okay.

A little tornado story for you...I had a friend whose mother was up late reading a Guideposts mag. She read about praying the blood of Jesus over your family, for protection. She walked down the hall doing that over each person, and about 2 minutes later a tornado struck their house (no warning, no sirens). I've seen pictures--2 walls left standing. Amazingly, not one of them was hurt (at all!) Prayer works.

[I'm ALL Right!]

Tornado on the ground near Davenport, moving into Stroud.

[fatima]

chantal7,I am with you in praqyer ,I am still praying.Get them all home safe.

[TomGuy]

One cell is aiming to go through Okmulgee (city)

Davenport/Stroud (12:11)-- tornado back on the ground now.
Supercell.

[PhiKapMom]

They just had a local report from the Oakdale Elementary and the school is pretty devasted. No school there for the rest of the year according to the report on Channel 9.

Mesocyclone spinning up again heading toward Stroud. Power flashes just south of Stroud. Another storm cell has sprung up in Chandler area.

[I'm ALL Right!]

current storms should not move over Tulsa

Sounds like good news to me.

[PhiKapMom]

They warn you that you should take cover 5 miles on either side of the intersection in case the storm changes track.

[Mo1]

Here is a link to get video of reports that News9 has on their site so far

http://www.newsok.com/?video

[TomGuy]

Cell just west of Sand Springs moving toward Tulsa. Storm is severe, not tornadic (right now, but could change).