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| Deadly tornado strikes Oklahoma | Deadly tornado strikes Oklahoma |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least eight people have been killed by a tornado which tore into a town in the US state of Oklahoma. | At least eight people have been killed by a tornado which tore into a town in the US state of Oklahoma. |
| The tornado swept through a swathe of the town of Lone Grove on Tuesday evening, reports said. Local reports said up to 15 people may have died. | The tornado swept through a swathe of the town of Lone Grove on Tuesday evening, reports said. Local reports said up to 15 people may have died. |
| The tornado, one of at least three in the area, also left 14 people injured, a spokeswoman for the state emergency management department said. | The tornado, one of at least three in the area, also left 14 people injured, a spokeswoman for the state emergency management department said. |
| Several survivors were found in homes flattened by the tornado. | Several survivors were found in homes flattened by the tornado. |
| 'Twisted metal' | 'Twisted metal' |
| A number of buildings in Lone Grove, which has a population of around 4,600, were destroyed by the tornado. | A number of buildings in Lone Grove, which has a population of around 4,600, were destroyed by the tornado. |
| Thousands of people were said to be without power in Oklahoma and neighbouring Texas following the seasonally unusual twisters, which demolished trailer homes and snapped trees and power lines. | Thousands of people were said to be without power in Oklahoma and neighbouring Texas following the seasonally unusual twisters, which demolished trailer homes and snapped trees and power lines. |
| Nightfall and the dangers posed by the destruction on the ground forced the search for survivors to be suspended overnight in Lone Grove, about 100 miles (160 km) south of Oklahoma City. | Nightfall and the dangers posed by the destruction on the ground forced the search for survivors to be suspended overnight in Lone Grove, about 100 miles (160 km) south of Oklahoma City. |
| A tornado tears through central Oklahoma | A tornado tears through central Oklahoma |
| But rescue workers and equipment have been deployed there and the search for survivors resumed at first light on Wednesday. | But rescue workers and equipment have been deployed there and the search for survivors resumed at first light on Wednesday. |
| "There's nothing left ... twisted metal, cars turned upside down, cars in trees," Oklahoma highway patrol trooper and Lone Grove resident Bryant Harris told the Tulsa World newspaper. | "There's nothing left ... twisted metal, cars turned upside down, cars in trees," Oklahoma highway patrol trooper and Lone Grove resident Bryant Harris told the Tulsa World newspaper. |
| One woman was nearly sucked through the roof of a house while sheltering in a cupboard with seven other people, who managed to hold on to her. | One woman was nearly sucked through the roof of a house while sheltering in a cupboard with seven other people, who managed to hold on to her. |
| "My daughter was standing here trying to hold the door when all of a sudden she started rising," her mother Laura Hartman told News 9 television crew, AFP reported. | "My daughter was standing here trying to hold the door when all of a sudden she started rising," her mother Laura Hartman told News 9 television crew, AFP reported. |
| Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry said: "We will do everything we can to get Oklahomans the assistance they need." | Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry said: "We will do everything we can to get Oklahomans the assistance they need." |
| One deputy sheriff told The Oklahoman newspaper late on Tuesday that he believed there may have been more fatalities. | One deputy sheriff told The Oklahoman newspaper late on Tuesday that he believed there may have been more fatalities. |
| "I'm scared to death to see what daylight brings," he told the paper. | "I'm scared to death to see what daylight brings," he told the paper. |
| Ken Grace, sheriff for Carter County, which includes Lone Grove, told Reuters news agency there could be as many as 30 people missing. | Ken Grace, sheriff for Carter County, which includes Lone Grove, told Reuters news agency there could be as many as 30 people missing. |
| More warnings | More warnings |
| Television reports showed buildings reduced to rubble, roofs ripped from homes and cars smashed into each other. | Television reports showed buildings reduced to rubble, roofs ripped from homes and cars smashed into each other. |
| Lone Grove resident Joe Hornback told the Associated Press news agency that 30 people from his street had sought shelter from the storm in a small cellar. | Lone Grove resident Joe Hornback told the Associated Press news agency that 30 people from his street had sought shelter from the storm in a small cellar. |
| There was calm before the tornado hit, he told the AP. "Then you just heard the wind blow, just like you turned the light switch on." | There was calm before the tornado hit, he told the AP. "Then you just heard the wind blow, just like you turned the light switch on." |
| Damage was also reported elsewhere in the state, including Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City. | |
| The tornado storms also produced large hail stones | The tornado storms also produced large hail stones |
| The National Weather Service has issued tornado watches for the area to the east of Oklahoma. | The National Weather Service has issued tornado watches for the area to the east of Oklahoma. |
| The state is no stranger to tornados, but it is unusal for them to take palce so early in the year. | The state is no stranger to tornados, but it is unusal for them to take palce so early in the year. |
| Their appearance has been blamed on usually warm, wet weather. Most usually take place in spring and summer. | Their appearance has been blamed on usually warm, wet weather. Most usually take place in spring and summer. |
| "It's February, but we're going to treat it like May," said Mike Foster, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's office in Norman, Oklahoma, local media reported. |