The tornadoes were part of a series of strong storms and warnings affecting Oklahoma and other states Monday. Authorities are now working to determine the extent of the damage, and if there are any more injuries or fatalities related to the storm.
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The straight-line wind damage was concentrated in and around the Salem and Mammoth Springs communities in Fulton County, said John Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in North Little Rock. Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed Interstate 35 near Wynnewood for 15 minutes so the storm could pass, temporarily shutting down the primary route between Oklahoma City and Dallas.
The emergency director in Garvin County, Bud Ramming, said a man believed to have been in his late 70s was found dead in a home.
A tornado watch had been issued earlier in the afternoon for parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and northeastern Texas. More than 20 tornadoes were spotted, the NWS says.
Forecasters issued a tornado emergency for the small towns of Roff and Hickory, which are near Sulphur in southern Oklahoma.
The hardest-hit areas were about 70 to 80 miles (about 129km) southeast of Oklahoma City, where a tornado reported to be more than a mile wide ripped through the area. Nevertheless, the communities, with populations of 725 and 71, respectively, were not affected by the major damage.
The severe weather threat has largely ended for central Oklahoma.
The first twister, moving in an east northeast direction, formed in a rural area just to the east of Elmore City. In the east, Kentucky, southern OH, southern IL and southern IN are all at risk for bad weather, including tornadoes. Similar hail was forecast from eastern Texas to southeastern Kansas.
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About 41 million people from Houston to Sioux City, Iowa, are at risk for some type of stormy weather.
