OKC and Oklahoma County has had more tornados hit than any other place on earth and I can say from all the accounts and things they are showing, I've never seen anything like this. Unreal. Prayers for everyone in South OKC. I hope the kids in those schools hit are ok. The damage along the interstate and the path through those neighborhoods is indescribable. I never thought we would see something worse than May 3, 1999 in OKC or Joplin... and one that would take almost the same path with that kind of destruction here. Just shot after shot of thousands of homes completely gone. The destruction goes for miles.
We're calmly monitoring this as well, albeit from a distance. 2 Tablets, 3 phones, 1 monitor, 2 TVs with various and sundry POV. Wife is on Facebook touching base with some of her Friends & Clients & chief among them, Family who were too close for comfort yesterday & today & spared thus far.
While I'm well West of the region, a short while ago we got a text from my Brother's Bride, saying they emerged from shelter & closest hit was 3 miles - which fell in line with our guesstimates based upon live coverage & radar at the time this thread was started. I fervently wish that bit of good news was true for one and all. Just awful.
I'm in OKC. Moore is a few miles to the south of downtown OKC. It's heavily populated and a suburb that connects downtown with Norman. I'm to the Northwest of downtown. It's mayhem in the city right now. Traffic is a mess with interstates closed. A lot of power outages and cell phones aren't working well. Pray for all the victims and lets hope none of our Ferrari friends on the site here are affected as well. I know couple of guys do live in that general area but it's really hard to get through to anyone at the moment. There appear to be thousands of structures destroyed and there is now a problem of major gas lines destroyed so explosions are a threat. The heavily damaged Warren Theater they are showing on CNN, Fox and MSNBC is the largest and most state of the art movie theater in the U.S. It was built there by Bill Warren because he's from Moore in OKC and spared no expense. THX and George Lucas designed the digital sound and spacing for each theater. It featured balconies will full service bar and fully digital IMAX. That pails in comparison to the people affected and what appears to be thousands of homes destroyed. Before the tornado hit the city the National Weather Service (which happens to be located in Norman at OU, south of Moore) upgraded the threat to a "tornado emergency" which is the highest possible / deadily rating for tornados above a "tornado warning" when a tornado is spotted on the ground. The thing just kept getting bigger and the entire city had sirens blowing but no one knew it was going to be a giant one like this.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy, unnerving day, night and beyond to update us on the status. I was just reading that in some places, it cut a mile wide swath of destruction. While I can understand a report from earlier about debris scattered for two miles, ^that^ just boggles.
I'm in Tulsa and fortunately nothing came through here but I'm am absolutely saddened by what has happened. I have friends in OKC that were fortunately okay, but still this saddens me. My thoughts and prayers to everyone affected.
Heartbreaking as it is to see such loss of life, particularly for youngsters, I cannot imagine the worst fears loved ones are going through as they have not rejoined their entire families, and simply do not know for a fact where their children or parents are. via rubber ducky
Agreed. So many little children lost. Just terrible. Please be praying for this community guys. As I type its hailing and storming again outside. Those responders digging for lives need prayers too. It looks like a war zone down there and stretches for 20 miles. A lot of support coming in but if you guys can please donate at American Red Cross Central and Western Oklahoma Region - Volunteering, Donations, Training Or text 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross. News just in that OKC Thunder star, Kevin Durant has donated $1 million for the victims. Even for a guy making millions, that's a giant show of love and generosity but every bit helps.
I'm seeing on HLN that "Everyone now accounted for after tornado" . . . So, apparently. Dead, Injured or Alive, there appear to be no more missing persons. Are all our OK Members and Families from the area, well . . . OK?
Did a very little bit of clean up work today; didn't take any pics out of respect for the families. The carnage left me speechless. My next house will absolutely have a safe room. I can't even begin to describe what you're up against if you're recovering from this event. Seeing it on eye level is a serious punch in the mouth.
Oh no, we were well clear of the path of the storm. Re-reading it doesn't sound as clear as it should. Just seeing the damage caused to other unfortunate families was enough for me to declare to myself that I'd spring for some kind of storm-protection when we step up from the first house.
NOVA had a special this week on the tornado's in Oklahoma. They said that Moore is now considered one of the most dangerous places in the world to live. I'd still move back.