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Massive tornado rips through Oklahoma City suburbs Deadly tornado rips through Oklahoma City suburbs
(35 minutes later)
A gigantic tornado has ripped through a suburb of Oklahoma City, destroying a school, sparking fires and flattening homes across whole neighbourhoods. At least 10 people are reported to have been killed after a huge tornado ripped through a suburb of Oklahoma City, destroying a school, sparking fires and flattening whole neighbourhoods.
The "mile-wide" storm came on the second day in a row that twisters hit the Midwestern state of Oklahoma. Dozens were injured when the twister struck the town of Moore.
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 schoolchildren 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. The twister struck a day after two were killed and 21 more injured by tornadoes elsewhere in the state of Oklahoma.
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. It hit Moore, a suburb of about 55,000 people just south of Oklahoma City, at about 15:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Monday, and remained on the ground for about 45 minutes.
'Long recovery' Children are 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. Volunteers and rescue workers could be seen picking through the rubble in aerial news footage, which showed that entire streets of houses have been levelled to their foundations.
There have been no reports of children injured or killed. Amy Elliot of the Oklahoma chief medical examiner's office said ten people have been found dead, ABC News reported.
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 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.
"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."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. Oklahoma's state medical examiner confirmed on Monday that two people had been killed in the area.
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.
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.
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.
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."
Presenters of a local afternoon news programme were forced to evacuate during a live broadcast as the tornado touched down on Sunday.
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