Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Deadly twisters devastate Oklahoma towns

Disaster News Network: At least eight people were killed and dozens were injured late Tuesday as a massive tornado tore through Carter County south of Oklahoma City. Carter County Sheriff Ken Grace said the worst damage was in Lone Grove, a town of approximately 5,000 people, when a tornado approximately a half-mile wide plowed through the center of the town destroying dozens of houses and mobile homes.

Officials warned that the number of fatalities could rise Wednesday as responders resumed a search after dawn. Rescue teams had to suspend search efforts after midnight because there were live power lines in the rubble. The sheriff said early Wendesday that they were trying to find nearly 40 people who had been reported missing.

The Lone Grove tornado was one of at least four tornadoes to strike the state Tuesday. ...A February tornado outbreak in Oklahoma is relatively rare. According to the National Weather Service, just 44 February tornadoes have been reported in the state since 1950. Tuesday's fatalities were the first tornado-related deaths in Oklahoma in almost 35 years....

This is a photograph of the Erick, Oklahoma tornado of 25 April 1989. NOAA

No comments: