A tornado ripped across part of Oklahoma Thursday night, leaving several homes flattened and locals without power Friday, as more storms loomed.
The damage was worst felt in Enid, a small city near the state’s northern border in Garfield County, but no fatalities had been reported as of Friday morning.
On Friday afternoon, National Weather Service (NWS) Warning Coordination Meteorologist Rick Smith confirmed the twister was an EF-4 with winds as high as 175 mph. An EF4 tornado is one of the most violent categories on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Such a storm leaves behind devastating to catastrophic damage, with well-built homes often leveled or swept from their foundations, roofs torn off reinforced structures and entire neighborhoods left unrecognizable. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin said officials from DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were “fully engaged” to support recovery.
Commercial buildings just south of the city were reduced to piles of twisted metal and splintered wood, the Associated Press reported, while utility poles were knocked down, and at least one home had lost its metal roof.
Local Dave Lamerton spent Friday morning alongside family members and neighbors salvaging what was left of his son Joseph’s woodworking shop.
“The tornado just swung right through here and just hit us directly,” Lamerton told the AP, pointing to a giant mess of splintered wood beams, furniture, debris and heavy machinery that was pushed into a massive pile at the edge of the building’s foundation. “We’ve got stuff on the property we can’t even find.”
Tornado Hits Enid
Meteorologist Damon Lane said on Thursday that the tornado in the city of Enid was “the strongest storm we have seen in a very long time here in Oklahoma.”
Video showed the storm raging with a number of leveled houses left in its wake. Lane said it was “the worst-case scenario.”
At least 10 people suffered minor injuries in the Gray Ridge neighborhood of Enid as of Thursday night, the Garfield County emergency manager said, according to KOCO.
Storm trackers reported that the tornado was on the ground for approximately 40 minutes, according to KGOU.
The tornado watch for Oklahoma expired by Friday morning. A severe thunderstorm watch was in place until 4 a.m. CDT for northeast Oklahoma and parts of neighboring states, with winds gusts of up to 70 mph expected and possible hail measuring 1.5 inches in diameter.
Meanwhile, a separate tornado formed near Braman around 7 p.m. Thursday, but narrowly missed the town.
Damaged Homes Seen Live on Air as Tornado Strikes
While reporting on the tornado, storm chaser Amanda Bento said: “We have a lot of damage, a lot of damage.”
Lane added: “That house is flattened, that house is completely flattened.” He said the storm was approaching the town of Fairmont and that there was a “tremendous amount of debris” inside the storm.
Mike Honigsberg, former emergency management director of Enid, told KOCO that the south side of Gray Ridge had been leveled, but that the full extent of the damage may not be known until Friday.
Oklahoma Community Faced ‘A Serious Test’
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office initially deployed deputies to search and rescue operations for potentially trapped residents, per its Facebook page.
Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt said on X Thursday night: “Please join me in praying for the Enid community, which has been severely impacted by tonight’s tornado. I have spoken with Enid’s local leaders and will continue working with them as they assess the damage and identify needs.”
In an update Friday morning, Enid Mayor David Mason said his community had faced “a serious test.”
“A tornado caused significant damage to the Gray Ridge neighborhood and southern parts of Enid. I am very grateful to report that while homes have sustained significant damage, there have been no fatalities and only minor injuries sustained,” Mason posted to Facebook.
“The support from our community has been remarkable. Local businesses have offered equipment and labor, residents have opened their doors, and supplies have poured in already. This is who Enid is in challenging moments – we continue to show up for one another.”
Vance Air Force Base Sustained Minor Damage
Vance Air Force Base, in Enid, sustained minor damage to signage and fencing, according to KOCO, citing Mason.
Stitt continued: “My prayers are with everyone on Vance Air Force Base and the surrounding neighborhood, and I am asking God to bring healing and comfort in the days ahead. As storms continue to move across Oklahoma tonight, I urge everyone to stay weather aware, follow local warnings, and take shelter immediately when directed.”
More Storms Predicted
The NWS in Norman, Oklahoma, said in an update at 4:30 a.m. Friday that the “severe weather threat has ended this morning” but severe storms are possible in the afternoon and into the evening. It added that while the risk was low, “a tornado or two cannot be ruled out.”
A later update, below, showed the extent of the affected areas:
This article contains reporting by the Associated Press.
Related Articles
