Oklahoma tornado kills at least 24, search for survivors continues
Emergency crews continued searching for survivors early Tuesday morning in an Oklahoma City suburb after a massive tornado tore through the area on Monday afternoon, killing at least 24 people and injuring hundreds more.
- A flag is placed in the foundation of a flattened home day after a tornado devastated the town Moore, Oklahoma, on the outskirts of Oklahoma City May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday after a massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)
- Two dogs sit on a table surrounded by rubble while residents search for valuables after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- An aerial view of destroyed houses and buildings after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Benjamin Krain/Getty Images)
- People walk past their tornado devastated neighbourhood on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
- Sandy Stewart (R) and her pregnant daughter-in-law Robyn Rojas have their dinner at what left of their tornado devastated home on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
- A woman searches for possessions at sunset after the suburb of Moore, Oklahoma was left devastated by a tornado, May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and survivors picked through the rubble of their shattered homes on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, wiping out blocks of houses and killing at least 24 people. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)
- A survivor sign is shown written on a home in Moore, Oklahoma, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. A massive tornado swept through the south Oklahoma City suburb Monday afternoon. (Brad Loper/Dallas Morning News/MCT)
- A member of Nebraska Task Force-1 looks through the remains of a home with his search dog in Moore, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. A massive tornado swept through the south Oklahoma City suburb Monday afternoon. (Brad Loper/Dallas Morning News/MCT)
- Volunteers from Mercy Chefs distribute hot food to tornado victims and rescue workers at a devastated neighbourhood on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
- Volunteers from Mercy Chefs distribute hot food to tornado victims and rescue workers at a devastated neighbourhood on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles.(Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
- Dan Garland, of Moore, Oklahoma, holds down his cellar door during the tornado. He and two other men had to hold down the door as the tornado blew out portions is his home. Photo courtesy of Dan Garland.
- Curtis Cooks recovers his high school football photo from the rubble of his house after a powerful tornado ripped through the area destroying his home on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Residents search through rubble after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Two dogs sit on a table surrounded by rubble while residents search for valuables after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Sean Xuereb recovers a dog from the rubble of a home that was destroyed by a tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Teacher’s assistant Amber Ford (Left) takes a photo of first grade teacher Sheri Bittle after finding items inside Bittle’s classroom at Briarwood Elementary School after the building was destroyed by yesterday’s tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Teacher’s assistant Amber Ford (Left) hands first grade teacher Sheri Bittle items found inside Bittle’s classroom at Briarwood Elementary School after the building was destroyed by yesterday’s tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Gary Kirk, left, Billy McElrath, center, and Bill Fuller, right, look for items in the rubble of McElrath’s house that was destroyed by yesterday’s tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Bill Strozdas cleans up a tree in his front yard felled by yesterday’s tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Residents search through rubble after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Downed utility poles block the road as a family walks south on Sante Fe Avenue at SW 19th Street after yesterday’s deadly tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A man rides east on SW 19th Street past utility poles downed by yesterday’s tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A power line pylon bent by yesterday’s tornado remains on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Ashley Do (Left) and Bonnie Lolofie walk from their apartment that has no power or water but was otherwise undamaged by yesterday’s tornado on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- An aerial view of destroyed houses after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Benjamin Krain/Getty Images)
- Alyssa McDowell cleans debris from her tornado devastated houses on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
- People walk past their tornado devastated neighbourhood on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
- People walk along their tornado devastated neighbourhood on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)
- Amanda Self, of Edmund, Oklahoma, talks about how her kids were so moved by the kids trapped in Plaza Towers Elementary School that they decided to by $1,000 worth of toys and other supplies for the children who lost everything in Moore, Oklahoma. (Shane Keyser/Kansas City Star/MCT)
- Urban Search and Rescue workers comb through debris, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at Plaza Towers Elementary School following yesterday’s massive tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma. (Brad Loper/Dallas Morning News/MCT)
- Recovery workers walk through the destruction in a neighborhood in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- Residents salvage their belongings after their house was left devastated by a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, in the outskirts of Oklahoma City on May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. (Adrees Latif/Reuters photo)
- Rescue workers use a canine while searching house-to-house for survivors in a neighborhood left devastated by a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, in the outskirts of Oklahoma City May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. Emergency workers pulled more than 100 survivors from the rubble of homes, schools and a hospital, and around 237 people were injured. Cadaver dogs sniffed through the scattered planks and bricks of ruined homes on Tuesday. (Adrees Latif/Reuters photo)
- Danielle Stephan holds boyfriend Thomas Layton as they pause between salvaging through the remains of a family member’s home one day after a tornado devastated the town Moore, Oklahoma, in the outskirts of Oklahoma City May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday after a massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. (Adrees Latif/Reuters photo)
- Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Erik Gransberg searches for victims in an underground shelter in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- An aerial view of damage in a neighborhood in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013, in the aftermath of a tornado which ravaged the suburb of Oklahoma City. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through Moore, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. Seven children died at the school which took a direct hit in the deadliest tornado to hit the United States in two years. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)
- An aerial view of destroyed homes in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013, in the aftermath of a tornado which ravaged the suburb of Oklahoma City. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through Moore, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. Seven children died at the school which took a direct hit in the deadliest tornado to hit the United States in two years. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)
- Resident Taylor Tennyson sits in the front yard as family members salvage the remains from their home which was left devastated by a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, in the outskirts of Oklahoma City May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)
- June Simson (R) receives a hug from her neighbor Jo McGee while embracing her cat Sammi after she found him standing on the rubble of her destroyed home on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
- Kalissa Graham retrieves her belongings from her destroyed home with the help of her friend Derick Colwell on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
- Kalissa Graham reacts after finding an engagement photo of her and her husband Roger Graham in the the rubble of her destroyed home on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
- Residents remove their belongings from a residential area in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013 after a massive tornado struck the area May 20. Emergency workers pulled more than 100 survivors from the rubble of homes, schools and a hospital in an Oklahoma town hit by a powerful tornado May 20, and officials lowered the death toll from the storm to 24, including nine children. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- The American flag is tapped to a pole as it hangs in the foreground of destroyed houses and vehicles on May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Families returned to a blasted moonscape that had been an American suburb Tuesday after a monstrous tornado tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead and entire neighborhoods vanished, with often the foundations being the only thing left of what used to be houses and cars tossed like toys and heaped in big piles. (Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
- Lightning strikes over interstate 35 near Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013. Thunderstorms and lightning slowed the rescue effort on Tuesday, but 101 people had been pulled from the debris alive, Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokeswoman Betsy Randolph said. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- American flags wave over the remains of Plaza Towers Elementary school in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013 after it was destroyed by a massive tornado May 20. Emergency workers pulled more than 100 survivors from the rubble of homes, schools and a hospital in an Oklahoma town hit by a powerful tornado, and officials lowered the death toll from the storm to 24, including nine children. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- An aerial view of damage at Moore Medical Center in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013, in the aftermath of a tornado which ravaged the suburb of Oklahoma City. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through Moore, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. Seven children died at the school which took a direct hit in the deadliest tornado to hit the United States in two years. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)
- An aerial view of crews working the scene at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma May 21, 2013, in the aftermath of a tornado which ravaged the suburb of Oklahoma City. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through Moore, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. Seven children died at the school which took a direct hit in the deadliest tornado to hit the United States in two years. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)
- Resident Taylor Tennyson sits in the front yard of her family home which was left devastated by a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, in the outskirts of Oklahoma City May 21, 2013. Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)
- Sean Satterlee follows Proxy, a Belgian malinois, through the debris, as emergency crews continued searching for victims in the early morning hours on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Moore, Oklahoma, after a tornado ripped through part of the town. (Shane Keyser/Kansas City Star/MCT)
- Abby Madi (L) and Peterson Zatterlee comforts Zaterlee’s dog Rippy, after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- An American flag lies on top of an overturned car after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A rescuer searches the wreckage of a car after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A woman is treated for her injuries at a triage area set up for the injured, after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A law enforcement official stands in the yard of a damaged home after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Rescuers search through rubble after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A damaged police car is seen after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Children look at destroyed homes in the aftermath of a huge tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma, Monday, May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Zuma Press/MCT)
- Oklahoma National Guard soldiers and rescue workers dig through the rubble of Plaza Tower Elementary school May 21, 2013 after a devastating tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, May 20. The 2-mile (3-km) wide tornado is feared to have killed up to 91 people and injured more than 200. (Sgt. 1st Class Kendall James/Oklahoma National Guard)
- In this handout provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, two firefighters break through concrete during the search for survivors in the remains of the Plaza Towers Elementary School after it was hit by a tornado on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down Monday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Maj. Geoff Legler/Oklahoma National Guard)
- In this handout provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, a rescue worker and his search dog sit during the search for survivors in the remains of the Plaza Towers Elementary School after it was hit by a tornado on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down Monday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Maj. Geoff Legler/Oklahoma National Guard)
- People salvage belongings after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people while destroying entire tracts of homes, piling cars atop one another, and trapping two dozen school children beneath rubble. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A woman is pulled out from under the rubble in Moore, Oklahoma, Monday, May 20, 2013 after a tornado with an initial classification of EF-4 struck the town. At least 51 people were killed, including at least 20 children, and those numbers were expected to climb, officials said Tuesday. (Gene Blevins/Zuma Press/MCT)
- People are seen next to a damaged house and vehicles along a street after a huge tornado, in Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A 2-mile-wide (3-km-wide) tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people while destroying entire tracts of homes, piling cars atop one another, and trapping two dozen school children beneath rubble. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- People walk near destroyed buildings and vehicles after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. At least 91 people, including 20 children, were feared killed when a 2 mile wide tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, trapping victims beneath the rubble as one elementary school took a direct hit and another was destroyed. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Debris lies around homes one block north of Plaza Towers Elementary school after the area was damaged by a tornado May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Piles of debris lie around a home destroyed by a tornado May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Piles of debris and cars lie around a home destroyed by a tornado May 21, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The town reported a tornado of at least EF4 strength and two miles wide that touched down yesterday killing at least 24 people and leveling everything in its path. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A huge tornado approaches the town of Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- People look through the wreckage of their neighborhood after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- A vehicle lies upside down in the road after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Nathan Ulepich searches outside the back of his house destroyed after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Dana Ulepich looks at the debris from her house destroyed by a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Debris hangs from a tree over a destroyed home after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A tattered American flag waves after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A vehicle destroyed by a huge tornado sits on a street in Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A van sits on top of a crushed vehicle after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A man tries to look for his car in a pile at the parking lot of Moore Hospital destroyed by a tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- Dozens of cars piled up on top of each other in the parking lot of Moore Hospital after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- A woman is tended to by a Emergency Medical Technician after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- Dana Ulepich searches inside a room left standing at the back of her house destroyed after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Chain link fence posts stripped and bent mark the boundary between two houses destroyed after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Cars marked with an orange ‘X’, denoting they had been checked for occupants, are piled up in what was the front entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Cars marked with an orange ‘X’, denoting they had been checked for occupants, are piled up in what was the front entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Debris covers the ground after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Yvonne Barragar, left, Joe Marshall, center, and Barbara Garcia, right, sit in front of Barragar’s destroyed house after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado, reported to be at least EF4 strength and two miles wide, touched down in the Oklahoma City area on Monday killing at least 51 people. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A girl tries to keep warm near the Moore Hospital after being hit tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars in Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- A tree branch lies on top of a broken windshield after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A woman is comforted after a tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- Overturned cars are seen from destruction from a huge tornado near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A huge tornado touched down on Monday near Oklahoma City, and the National Weather Service urged residents to immediately take cover as a massive storm system in the middle of the country threatened to pummel as many as 10 states. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- Twisted metal lies in the road as people take pictures of damage after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A tornado touches down southwest of Wichita, Kansas, near the town of Viola. The tornado was part of a line of storms that past through the central plains. (Travis Heying/Wichita Eagle/MCT)
- A man is taken away from the IMAX theater that was used as a triage area after a tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- A man and woman look through the wreckage in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Monday, May 20, 2013. (Marcus DiPaola/Xinhua via Zuma Press/MCT)
- A nurse helps a older man that suffered a head injury from a tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars struck Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- Candice Lopez (L) and Stephanie Davis help clean debris from Thelma Cox’s mobile home after it was destroyed by a tornado May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Local residents look through the debris after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A volunteer helps clean up Jean McAdams’ mobile home after it was overturned by a tornado May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A church steeple lies on the ground after it was toppled by a huge tornado which struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- Volunteers help clean out Jean McAdams’ mobile home after it was overturned by a tornado May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A barn’s roof and siding is torn off after a tornado swept through west of Shawnee, Oklahoma. A (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- A man and two children walk through debris after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- Downed power lines block a road after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A resident waits to be allowed back to her mobile home after a tornado swept through the western part of Shawnee, Oklahoma. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- A power line pole bent by a tornado stands over a street May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Rescue workers help free one of the 15 people that were trap at a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A semi-tractor trailer (top) rests on its side against the guard rails on Interstate 40 as another trailer lies broken open on the road below after falling from I-40, following a tornado strike near Highway 177 north of Shawnee, Oklahoma. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- Rescue workers help free one of the 15 people that were trap at a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A destroyed house remains after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- Allen Cook talks on his cell phone as he stands next to a downed tree which missed falling on a home in a mobile home park, where several other homes were destroyed by a tornado on Sunday, west of Shawnee, Oklahoma. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- Rescue workers help one of 15 people rescued after being trap in a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Lightning from a tornadic thunderstorm passing over Clearwater, Kansas strikes at an open field . (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- An official walks next to storm debris at a mobile home park which was destroyed by a tornado on Sunday, west of Shawnee, Oklahoma. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- A nurse walks the destruction at Moore hospital after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s mobile doppler radar mounted on the back of a truck tracks a tornadic thunderstorm passing over Clearwater, in Kansas. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Bob Cameron of Edmond, Oklahoma, helps a neighbor move downed trees after a tornado swept through the eastern part of Edmond, Oklahoma. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- Rescue workers help free one of the 15 people that were trap at a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- The funnel of a tornadic thunderstorm almost touches the ground near South Haven, in Kansas. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A man looks through the remains of a home after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- Lightning from a tornadic thunderstorm passing over Clearwater, Kansas strikes at an open field. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Debris is seen at a mobile home park which was destroyed by a tornado on Sunday, west of Shawnee, Oklahoma. A tornado half a mile wide struck near Oklahoma City part of a massive storm front that hammered the central United States. News reports said at least one person had died. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- A tornadic thunderstorm approaches near South Haven, in Kansas. A massive storm front swept north through the central United States on Sunday, hammering the region with fist-sized hail, blinding rain and tornadoes, including a half-mile wide twister that struck near Oklahoma City. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A home sits damaged after a tornado moved through the area May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Storm chasers get close to a tornadic thunderstorm, one of several tornadoes that touched down, in South Haven, Kansas. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Rescue workers help free one of the 15 people that were trap at a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- The funnel of a tornadic thunderstorm almost touches the ground near South Haven, in Kansas. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Residents help repair the roof of their neighbor’s house which was damaged by a fallen tree when a tornado swept through Shawnee, in Oklahoma. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- Storm chaser videographer and photographer Brad Mack records a tornado near a home in South Haven, in Kansas. A massive storm front swept north through the central United States hammering the region with fist-sized hail, blinding rain and tornadoes, including a half-mile wide twister that struck near Oklahoma City. (Gene Blevins/Reuters) (
- Rescue workers help free one of the 15 people that were trap at a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Workmen clear debris after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- Residents help repair the roof of their neighbor’s house which was damaged by a fallen tree when a tornado swept through Shawnee, in Oklahoma. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- Lonnie Langston stands near his garage that was swept off the concrete pad next to his house by a tornado May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- A sign for a local restaurant lies on the ground after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- Residents help repair the roof of their neighbor’s house which was damaged by a fallen tree when a tornado swept through Shawnee, in Oklahoma. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- Rescue workers help free one of the 15 people that were trap at a medical building at the Moore hospital complex after a tornado tore through the area of Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- People survey the destructions at the Moore hospital after it was hit by a tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars in Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- An aerial view of the damage in the aftermath of tornadoes that touched down just outside of Wellston, Oklahoma, May 19, 2013, in this still image provided by KFOR-TV. (KFOR/via Reuters)
- Kasey Clark sorts through the debris of her grandmother-in-law Thelma Cox’s mobile home after it was destroyed by a tornado May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Destroyed cars are seen after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. At least four people were killed, KFOR television said, citing a reporter’s eyewitness account, and hospitals said dozens of people were injured as the dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 U.S. states with more twisters. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- An aerial view of the damage in the aftermath of tornadoes that touched down just outside of Wellston, Oklahoma, May 19, 2013, in this still image provided by KFOR-TV. (KFOR/via Reuters)
- Law enforcement officials arrive on the scene after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. The powerful tornado that struck the town of Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday was given a preliminary rating of at least EF4, or the second highest strength level, with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (321 kph), a U.S. government agency said. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- A rescue worker looks for victims in the Moore Hospital parking lot after being hit by a tornado that destroyed buildings and overturned cars in Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. At least four people were killed, KFOR television said, citing a reporter’s eyewitness account, and hospitals said dozens of people were injured. (Gene Blevins/Reuters photo)
- An aerial view of the damage in the aftermath of tornadoes that touched down near Shawnee Twin Lakes, Oklahoma, in this still image provided by KFOR-TV. (KFOR/via Reuters)
- An electrical pole lies on a Pottawatomie County road after a tornado May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- People look at the destruction after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two elementary schools and a hospital and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. At least four people were killed, KFOR television said, citing a reporter’s eyewitness account, and hospitals said dozens of people were injured as the dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 U.S. states with more twisters. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A damaged mobile home is pictured amid the debris after a tornado swept through Shawnee, in Oklahoma. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Overturned cars are seen after a huge tornado touched down in the town of Moore, near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. The huge tornado that struck the town of Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday was given a preliminary rating of at least EF4, or the second highest strength level, with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (321 kph), a U.S. government agency said. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- Stripped trees and destroyed houses remain after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A destroyed truck being blown off the 40 freeway is pictured with its damaged cargo after a tornado swept through Shawnee, in Oklahoma. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Volunteers help clean out Jean McAdams’ mobile home after it was overturned by a tornado May 20, 2013 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. A series of tornados moved across central Oklahoma May 19, killing two people and injuring at least 21. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
- Overturned cars are seen after a massive tornado touched down near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A devastating tornado struck an Oklahoma City suburb on Monday and the National Weather Service urged residents to immediately take cover as a large storm system in the middle of the country threatened to pummel as many as 10 states. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- A destroyed truck being blown off the 40 freeway is pictured with its damaged cargo after a tornado swept through Shawnee, in Oklahoma. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A shopping center and parking lot are filled with debris after a huge tornado struck in Moore, Oklahoma near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. The huge tornado that struck the town of Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday was given a preliminary rating of at least EF4, or the second highest strength level, with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (321 kph), a U.S. government agency said. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- A woman walks through debris after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- Lightning from a tornadic thunderstorm passing over Clearwater, Kansas strikes near storm chasers. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- An aerial view of the damage in the aftermath of tornadoes that touched down just outside of Wellston, Oklahoma, May 19, 2013, in this still image provided by KFOR-TV. (KFOR/via Reuters)
- Destroyed buildings and overturned cars are seen after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. The powerful tornado that struck the town of Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday was given a preliminary rating of at least EF4, or the second highest strength level, with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (321 kph), a U.S. government agency said. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- A tornado is pictured near a home in South Haven, Kansas. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- A shredded tree stands amid debris after a massive tornado touched down in the town of Moore, near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma May 20, 2013. A huge tornado with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, ripping up at least two schools and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage as a dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 U.S. states. (Richard Rowe/Reuters)
- Parts of trees and household debris cover the ground after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A tornado, one of several which touched down, is pictured near Viola, in Kansas. A massive storm front swept north through the central United States. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Brad Avery of Edmond, Oklahoma, clears downed trees from his driveway after a tornado swept through the eastern part of Edmond, Oklahoma. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
- A tornadic thunderstorm passes over Clearwater, in Kansas. A massive storm front swept north through the central United States. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Stripped trees and destroyed houses remain after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013. A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing at least 51 people as winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. (Richard Rowe/Reuters photo)
- A storm chaser gets close to a tornadic thunderstorm, one of several tornadoes that touched down. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
- Vehicles are seen amongst storm debris, which is what is left of a mobile home park destroyed by a tornado, west of Shawnee, Oklahoma. (Bill Waugh/Reuters photo)
Rescuers comb Oklahoma tornado rubble for buried survivors
Ian Simpson and Alice Mannette Reuters
8:26 a.m. EDT, May 22, 2013
MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) – Rescue workers with sniffer dogs and searchlights combed through the wreckage of a massive tornado to ensure no survivors remained buried in the rubble of primary schools, homes and buildings in an Oklahoma City suburb.
The massive tornado on Monday afternoon flattened blocks of the town, killed at least 24 people and injured about 240 in Moore, just outside Oklahoma City.
But as dawn approached on Wednesday, officials were increasingly confident that everyone caught in the disaster had been accounted for, despite initial fears that the twister had claimed the lives of more than 90 people.
Jerry Lojka, spokesman for Oklahoma Emergency Management, said search-and-rescue dog teams would search on Wednesday for anybody trapped under the rubble, but that attention would also be focused on a huge cleanup job.
“They will continue the searches of areas to be sure nothing is overlooked,” he said, adding: “There’s going to be more of a transition to recovery.”
More than 1,000 people had already registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sent hundreds of workers to Oklahoma to help with the recovery, a White House official said on Wednesday.
After a long day of searching through shattered homes that was slowed by rainy weather, Oklahoma County commissioner Brian Maughan said it seemed no one was missing.
“As far as I know, of the list of people that we have had that they are all accounted for in one way or another,” he said.
As he spoke on Tuesday evening, dog teams and members of the National Guard were changing shifts to work through the night.
The death toll of 24 was lower than initially feared, but nine children were among the dead, including seven who died at Plaza Towers Elementary School which took a direct hit by the deadliest tornado to strike the United States in two years.
Emergency workers pulled more than 100 survivors from the debris of homes, schools and a hospital after the tornado ripped through the Oklahoma City region with winds exceeding 200 miles per hour, leaving a trail of destruction 17 miles long and 1.3 miles wide.
Plaza Towers Elementary was one of five schools in its path. “They (rescuers) literally were lifting walls up and kids were coming out,” Oklahoma State Police Sergeant Jeremy Lewis said. “They pulled kids out from under cinder blocks without a scratch on them.”
The National Weather Service upgraded its calculation of the storm’s strength on Tuesday, saying it was a rare EF5, the most powerful ranking on the Enhanced Fujita Scale
“I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE TORNADO”
The last time a giant twister tore through the area, on May 3, 1999, it killed more than 40 people and destroyed thousands of homes. That tornado also ranked as an EF5.
While Oklahoma Emergency Management’s Lojka said a flyover of the affected area on Tuesday showed 2,400 homes damaged or obliterated, with an estimated 10,000 people affected, the death toll was lower than might have been expected.
The toll was also a fraction of that of the 2011 twister in Joplin, Missouri, which killed 161 people.
In the hours following the storm, many more people were feared dead. At one point, the Oklahoma state medical examiner’s office said the toll could rise as high as 91, but on Tuesday officials said 24 bodies had been recovered, down from a previous tally of 51.
“There was a lot of chaos,” said Amy Elliott, chief administrative officer for the medical examiner.
Some ascribe the relatively low number of dead residents discovered in Moore, home to 55,000 people, to the fact many locals have small “storm safe” shelters, basically a concrete hole in the garage floor with a sliding roof that locks.
Billy McElrath, 50, of Oklahoma City, said his wife hid in a storm safe in their garage when the tornado hit.
She emerged unhurt even though the storm destroyed the 1968 Corvette convertible she had bought him as a birthday present, and crushed a motorcycle. “Everything else is just trashed,” he said as he loaded a pickup with salvaged goods.
Kraig Boozier, 47, took to his own small shelter in the Westmoor subdivision of Oklahoma City and watched in shock as a fan in the wall was ripped out.
“I looked up and saw the tornado above me,” he said.
When he came out after the storm, he helped a neighbor who had emerged from her own shelter move a car that was blocking the entrance to another neighbor’s shelter.
EARLY WARNING
Officials said another factor behind the surprisingly low death toll was the early warning, with meteorologists saying days in advance that a storm system was forming.
Once a tornado was forming, people had 15 to 20 minutes of warning, which meant they could take shelter or flee the projected path. The weather service also has new, sterner warnings about deadly tornadoes to get people’s attention.
Many of those who do not have a basic storm shelter at home, which can cost $2,500 to $5,000, have learned from warnings over the year to seek hiding places at home during a tornado.
Jackie Raper, 73, and her daughter, for instance, sought shelter in the bathtub in her house in Oklahoma City to survive the tornado.
“The house fell on top of her,” said Caylin Burgett, 16, who says Raper is like a grandmother to her. Raper broke her arm and femur, and bruised her lungs, Burgett said.
(Additional reporting by Carey Gillam, Lindsay Morris, Nick Carey, Brendan O’Brien and Greg McCune; Writing by Jim Loney and Jane Sutton; Editing by W Simon)
(This story is refiled to insert day Wednesday into third paragraph)
Once a tornado was forming, people had 15 to 20 minutes of warning, which meant they could take shelter or flee the projected path. The weather service also has new, sterner warnings about deadly tornadoes to get people’s attention.
Many of those who do not have a basic storm shelter at home, which can cost $2,500 to $5,000, have learned from warnings over the year to seek hiding places at home during a tornado.
Jackie Raper, 73, and her daughter, for instance, sought shelter in the bathtub in her house in Oklahoma City.
“The house fell on top of her,” said Caylin Burgett, 16, who says Raper is like a grandmother to her. Raper broke her arm and femur, and bruised her lungs, Burgett said.
(Additional reporting by Carey Gillam, Lindsay Morris, Nick Carey, Brendan O’Brien, Greg McCune, Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; Writing by Jim Loney and Jane Sutton; Editing by Walker Simon and Doina Chiacu)
Nell
May 21, 2013 @ 16:07:53
This is a act from God..nothing happens in this world unless God allows it to happen….who has control over everything in this world God….I ask you Lord to watch and protect and heal the family that lose a love one….all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord…
Kathleen
May 21, 2013 @ 15:02:35
@ Dolph’s comment – I lived in Oklahoma in 1999 when the last huge tornado devastated OKC , and saw the devastation firsthand…it was horrible & heartbreaking. This one they say the devastation is even worse. A great majority of people in OKC do not live in mobile homes, but their homes were destroyed. It’s ignorant & heartless to want to turn away and ignore their pain in such a way. Not only ignorant to assume these people put themselves in danger by living in mobile homes ( as if the entire city is nothing but), but also to assume that the majority of Oklahoman’s laughed at the tragedy of Hurricaine Sandy. There are a lot of good people in Oklahoma who share the heartache of others throughout the nation when they are hit by natural & other disasters, who pray for them, and who try to help by donating time, rescue efforts & Red Cross Donations. You ought to be ashamed of yourself for making such a comment. God forbid that you ever suffer a tragedy & people turn away from your pain & suffering & refuse to help.
dolph
May 21, 2013 @ 09:02:55
Weren’t these the same red-state fools who laughed when Sandy hit NY/NJ and wished their tax dollars wouldn’t go to support people’s homes being built in obviously unsafe areas?
I wish my tax dollars didn’t go to support people living in mobile homes in obviously unsafe areas where tornadoes happen more often than black-on-black crime in the projects.
Let them sell their guns to pay for their new lives instead!
Vince
May 22, 2013 @ 12:59:12
How could you say something like that? I honestly hope you do not mean what you said and that you are just venting from a tramatic life experience that your embarassed to talk about.
deborah
May 20, 2013 @ 12:09:22
we are need to get down on our knees and ask god for help .
Wrinklie44
May 21, 2013 @ 08:35:09
I think god has already done enough.
Veronica
May 21, 2013 @ 11:23:04
You need to quit blaming God for this and face that you need to get on your knees and pray to him. Dont you think them getting hit by this tornado is enough? And now blaming God for it too?