Oklahoma residents dig out from weekend tornado outbreak that killed 4, injured over 100

Streets are blocked off in Sulphur following tornadoes that crisscrossed the state leaving four dead and more than 100 injured. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahomans on Monday were digging through the rubble of homes and businesses after at least 34 tornadoes ripped through the state.

The weekend storms left four dead and more than 100 injured.

Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency for 12 of the state’s 77 counties.

President Joe Biden spoke with Stitt on Sunday and offered the full support of the federal government.

Bruce Thoren, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norman, said Monday the figure for the number of tornadoes could rise as additional damage surveys are completed.

Three EF3 tornadoes touched down in Sulphur, Marietta and near Holdenville, Thoren said. EF3 tornadoes have a wind speed of between 136 mph and 165 mph, he said.

“It is devastating,” said Wes Hilliard, president of Vision Bank in Sulphur. “I have never seen anything like it. The whole damn town is gone.”

Hilliard served eight years in the Oklahoma House.

He lost his cousin, Sheila Hilliard Goodman, in the tornado.

“She had a big heart,” Hilliard said. “She loved hard. She was a sweet soul. Family was huge to her.”

Hilliard said the area needs items like rakes, shovels, sunscreen, gloves, buckets and totes. The items can be dropped off at the Murray County Expo Center.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg McCortney, R-Ada, called the damage “mind boggling.”

“Never in my life have I witnessed something like that,” McCortney said.

He said that while touring the damage, he couldn’t figure out where he was standing because landmarks had been destroyed overnight.

McCortney on Sunday toured the damage with Stitt and House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.

Stitt said it was the worst destruction he had seen in his six years in office.

It appeared that every business in downtown Sulphur had been destroyed, Stitt said. He said he was thankful more people weren’t downtown Saturday night.

He said the state would help the affected areas.

“It feels like a bad dream, you know personally,” McCall said.

He said the emergency declaration will open up the flow of federal dollars. Some state dollars will also be required, McCall said.

Matt Holder, Sulphur Public Schools superintendent, said schools were closed Monday and likely longer.

The high school was without electricity.Several sites had water damage, he said.

Every bus in its transportation fleet was severely damaged, he said. Over half of the district’s students rely on the buses to get to school, he said.

Most campuses and athletic fields had loose debris, broken tree limbs and downed fences.

The Marietta hospital was damaged, McCall said.

“They currently have no medical services,” McCall said.

Patients are being diverted to Ardmore, he said.

Homes in Ardmore were also damaged, McCall said.

Tom Coble is owner of the heavily damaged Lake Country Nursing Center in Marietta.

He said 60 of the residents had to be relocated to other facilities in the area. No serious injuries were reported, he said.

“God just spread his wings over that facility,” Coble said.

He was uncertain when it would reopen.

The Hughes County Emergency Management reported 14 homes damaged or destroyed in Holdenville.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the Oklahoma Price Stabilization Act was in effect for the 12 counties with emergency declarations.

The price gouging law prohibits an increase of more than 10% for the price of goods and services. Drummond said violators would face legal consequences.

“In the aftermath of these devastating storms, unscrupulous actors should know that my office will absolutely not tolerate exorbitant prices on goods and services desperately needed by Oklahomans during this difficult time,” Drummond said.

Both the House and Senate on Monday recognized the losses during their daily prayer.

“There is a weariness that can befall us when we face these kinds of challenges, so we pray for strength to walk through the days ahead,” said House Chaplain Joel Harder.

Janelle Stecklein and Nuria Martinez-Keel contributed to this report.

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