At least six people were killed and many others
injured after a string of tornadoes and thunderstorms Tuesday hit
Oklahoma and Kansas, authorities said.
The Oklahoma's Canadian County Sheriff said that a large tornado
near El Reno, a city in Canadian County, destroyed residences and
caused a gas leak at an energy plant west of Oklahoma City.
A spokesperson for the state medical examiner confirmed that four people died in the county.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management Statewide said at
least 60 people were injured and nearly 58,000 homes lost power around
the state. Besides, damage was reported in at least 14 counties.
Moreover, two motorists died when an uprooted tree hit their van in
Stafford County, Kansas, according to Kansas state adjutant general's
office.
About 1,200 people packed a shelter in Newcastle, a community near
Oklahoma City, during the storm, said Oklahoma City Manager Nick Nazar.
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said residents should take tornado warnings and reports "very seriously."
Another tornado was seen at Chickasha, about 40 miles southwest of
Oklahoma City. It later reached Newcastle, closing in on Moore and
Norman, suburbs of Oklahoma City. This tornado also damaged several
other communities.
"This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation," the
National Weather Service warned during the storms. Tornado watches were
in effect Tuesday evening in Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and
Kansas.
Twisters also brewed in Dallas and several northern Texas counties,
said the National Weather Service, with at least one tornado reported
on the ground.
The Storm Prediction Center said the high-risk area for severe
storms includes southern Kansas, most of Oklahoma and southward into
Texas.
The tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, on Sunday killed at least
122 people, making it the deadliest single tornado in the United States
since modern record-keeping began more than 60 years ago. Xinhua
