3 dead in tornado in Oklahoma as storms hit the state

Officials say three people died in Oklahoma after a tornado struck Wednesday night.

The McLane County Sheriff’s Office confirmed two deaths and said in a Facebook post that the crew was responding to reports of injuries and people trapped in shelters. A third death was confirmed Thursday morning by the office and the governor.

“Last night, severe weather devastated portions of Shawnee & Cole and killed three of our fellow Oklahoma associates. We are working diligently to restore our communities,” the governor said.Kevin Stitt murmured.

Residents of Cole, a town in McLean County about 25 miles south of Oklahoma City, were told to evacuate immediately Wednesday night. The county emergency management agency announced at 7:39 pm that a dangerous tornado hit the town.

The National Weather Service said Thursday that it had found storm damage consistent with an EF3 tornado near Cole, although investigations were continuing. The EF3 has wind speeds up to 155 mph. Damage to EF1 and EF2 was also found.

Helicopter video from NBC affiliate KFOR in Oklahoma City showed destroyed homes in and around Cole, a town of about 620 people.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s Eric Foster told reporters Cole suffered extensive damage, with trees and power lines down.

He said the damage, as well as the rural nature of the community and state, means that searchers need time to check damaged property and wind shelters.

“You have to park and walk miles to get into many of these places, so it takes time to find them,” Foster said Wednesday night. I know there will be serious damage to the facility.”

In Norman, east of Cole, the University of Oklahoma told everyone on campus to seek shelter immediately and stay away from windows as a dangerous storm was approaching. The tornado threat later passed.

In Pottawatomie County, the Bureau of Meteorology warned of a storm approaching Shawnee, a city of about 30,000 people. It was not immediately clear whether there had been any injuries.

Governor Stitt declared a state of emergency in five counties after inspecting Cole and Shawnee’s damage. The declaration will suspend some regulations to help get aid to affected areas, his office said.

In a Facebook post, the Pottawatomie County Emergency Management Department said roads and streets were blocked by debris and power lines, saying there were “too many to list.” It urged people to stay home so first responders could do their job.

Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee said classes were canceled Thursday and Friday and students were told to stay in their housing units Wednesday night, citing debris and power lines down.

“No injuries have been reported, but the damage to the campus is serious,” the university said in a Facebook post.

The Weather Service on Wednesday had predicted severe thunderstorms and the possibility of tornadoes over parts of the Great Plains due to a cold front.