Another Tornado Cluster Left Towns in Oklahoma and Texas in Ruins

Seminole, Oklahoma, has been ripped apart by two tornadoes in three days, including a multi-tornado outbreak on Wednesday evening that caused extensive structural damage and a power loss.

(Photo : Photo by Brian Davidson/Getty Images)

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Extreme Weather

Seminole, roughly 60 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, was hit by a tornado for the first time at 7:53 p.m. The ominous atmosphere spooked inhabitants and led to toppled structures in the neighborhood, which has a population of slightly over 7,000 people.

Two nights later, the city was again hit by severe weather, this time with two tornadoes, the first of which impacted at 6:46 p.m. CDT, with the tornado's immediate aftermath wreaking havoc in the city's center. Within an hour of the storm, there were reports of fallen power lines, roofs blown off homes and businesses, and a bending of a local radio tower. The roof of one family's auto business and the house was blown off, according to locals who talked to KOCO 5 in Oklahoma City.

At around 8:48 p.m., the second tornado of the evening made landfall. CDT, after the neighborhood, had already been rocked by the destruction from the previous hour. Due to power failures, Seminole County could not activate the area's tornado sirens, creating a potentially dangerous situation for individuals who needed safety steps.

Also Read: Drought-Stricken West At Risk of Intense Storms  

No Reported Injuries

According to a KOCO reporter who spoke with the Seminole County Undersheriff about the issue at 7:38 p.m., no injuries have been reported. CDT, however, there were reports of individuals being stranded when the first tornado struck. According to the Undersheriff, those who were trapped could safely escape. According to the report, the city's downtown area was the worst damaged by the turmoil.

Damages

Around the second tornado, a flash flood warning was issued for the Seminole County region. The local Sheriff's Office advised citizens to avoid the area due to "congestion [delays] reaction" to the damage.

Several stories from the ground in Seminole have revealed the tornado's power, showing a brick structure entirely ripped apart, among other terrifying images in the city. Following the tornado, the Seminole High School campus was also destroyed.

Another local school, The Academy of Seminole, said it was damaged directly by the tornado and that damage assessment would take the rest of the week on campus.

The Academy said on Facebook, "Please do not come to the school; it is exceedingly unsafe." "Everyone from the school is safe."

Seminole's second wave of devastation is part of a storm system that hit the central United States this week, bringing tornadoes to Paducah, Texas, and Dickens, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday evening, a tornado struck the northeastern edge of Lockett, Texas, on Wednesday evening, causing damage.

On Wednesday, a tornado was seen 60 miles east of Oklahoma City and 120 miles east of the Seminole tornadoes outside Maud, Oklahoma.

Tornadoes also erupted elsewhere in the southern Plains, some 175 miles northwest of Dallas-Fort Worth, notably in Crowell, Texas.

More Incoming

On Wednesday evening, AccuWeather national reporter Tony Laubach was storm chasing in this region and saw a twister ripping through wind farms. The turbines, according to Laubach, were not significantly damaged.

More destructive thunderstorms and tornadoes will be probable over the southern United States, possibly extending eastward.

Related Article: Exposure to Major Disasters Can Cause Long-Term Mental Health Problems   

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