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| Massive tornado rips through Oklahoma City suburbs | Massive tornado rips through Oklahoma City suburbs |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| A gigantic tornado has ripped through a suburb of Oklahoma City, destroying a school, sparking fires and flattening homes across whole neighbourhoods. | A gigantic tornado has ripped through a suburb of Oklahoma City, destroying a school, sparking fires and flattening homes across whole neighbourhoods. |
| The "mile-wide" storm came on the second day in a row that twisters hit the Midwestern state of Oklahoma. | The "mile-wide" storm came on the second day in a row that twisters hit the Midwestern state of Oklahoma. |
| Rescuers are searching for survivors as scores of primary school children are believed to be trapped under debris. | Rescuers are searching for survivors as scores of primary school children are believed to be trapped under debris. |
| On Sunday, at least two people died and 21 more were injured by the tornadoes that also razed a mobile home park. | On Sunday, at least two people died and 21 more were injured by the tornadoes that also razed a mobile home park. |
| The twister struck about 15:00 local time (21:00 BST) on Monday in the area of Moore, Oklahoma, a suburb of about 55,000 people just south of Oklahoma City, and remained on the ground for about 45 minutes. | |
| 'Long recovery' | 'Long recovery' |
| Early in the evening, children were being pulled alive from the wreckage of Plaza Towers Elementary School there. | Early in the evening, children were being pulled alive from the wreckage of Plaza Towers Elementary School there. |
| There have been no reports of children injured or killed. | There have been no reports of children injured or killed. |
| Volunteers and rescue workers could be seen picking through the rubble in aerial news footage, which shows that along entire streets houses have been levelled to their foundations. | |
| "It's going to take a while to recover from something like this," Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole told CNN. | "It's going to take a while to recover from something like this," Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole told CNN. |
| The National Weather Service (NWS) said Monday's tornado generated winds of up to 200mph (321km/h). | |
| The storm has been given a preliminary classification of EF-4 on the enhanced Fujita scale. | The storm has been given a preliminary classification of EF-4 on the enhanced Fujita scale. |
| "It's certainly the most powerful tornado that I've ever dealt with in my 20 years with the weather service," NWS meteorologist Rick Smith in Norman, Oklahoma, told the BBC. | |
| The town of Moore was hit by a severe tornado in May 1999, which had the highest winds ever recorded on earth. | The town of Moore was hit by a severe tornado in May 1999, which had the highest winds ever recorded on earth. |
| But Betsy Randolph of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol told local news station Skynews 9 that the damage on Monday appeared to exceed that of the last devastating tornado. | But Betsy Randolph of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol told local news station Skynews 9 that the damage on Monday appeared to exceed that of the last devastating tornado. |
| Tornadoes, hail and high winds also hit Iowa and Kansas, part of a storm system stretching from Texas to Minnesota. | Tornadoes, hail and high winds also hit Iowa and Kansas, part of a storm system stretching from Texas to Minnesota. |
| 'Not clear yet' | |
| On Sunday, a tornado smashed a trailer park on Highway 102 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. | On Sunday, a tornado smashed a trailer park on Highway 102 near Shawnee, Oklahoma. |
| Oklahoma's state medical examiner confirmed on Monday that two people had been killed near a trailer park there: Glen Irish, 79, and Billy Hutchinson, 76. | Oklahoma's state medical examiner confirmed on Monday that two people had been killed near a trailer park there: Glen Irish, 79, and Billy Hutchinson, 76. |
| Both lived in Shawnee, but it was not immediately clear if either or both lived in mobile home park. | Both lived in Shawnee, but it was not immediately clear if either or both lived in mobile home park. |
| The Oklahoman newspaper reported that five people were brought to Norman Regional Hospital for injuries, with three injured critically. | The Oklahoman newspaper reported that five people were brought to Norman Regional Hospital for injuries, with three injured critically. |
| Thousands of residents in the affected areas have been left without power. | Thousands of residents in the affected areas have been left without power. |
| Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency in 16 counties in order to send aid to the worst-hit parts of the state. | Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency in 16 counties in order to send aid to the worst-hit parts of the state. |
| At least four tornadoes ravaged the state on Sunday, part of a storm system that was moving north-east across the Midwestern states and Texas. | At least four tornadoes ravaged the state on Sunday, part of a storm system that was moving north-east across the Midwestern states and Texas. |
| "Right now we're in a rescue and recovery stage," Gov Fallin said. "We're still not in the clear yet." | "Right now we're in a rescue and recovery stage," Gov Fallin said. "We're still not in the clear yet." |
| Presenters of a local afternoon news programme were forced to evacuate during a live broadcast as the tornado touched down on Sunday. | Presenters of a local afternoon news programme were forced to evacuate during a live broadcast as the tornado touched down on Sunday. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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