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Deadly tornado rips through Oklahoma City suburbs Dozens killed in Moore, Oklahoma tornado
(about 1 hour later)
At least 37 people have been killed after a huge tornado tore though the Oklahoma City suburbs, with the death toll likely to rise, the Oklahoma chief medical examiner's office has said. At least 51 people have been killed after a huge tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburbs, with the death toll likely to rise, the Oklahoma chief medical examiner's office has said.
Nearly 60 people, including children, are being treated for injuries in hospitals around the town of Moore. About 120 people, including 70 children, are being treated for injuries in hospitals around Moore.
The tornado sparked fires, flattened houses, and destroyed schools on Monday afternoon. The tornado sparked fires, flattened neighbourhoods, and destroyed schools on Monday afternoon.
On Sunday, two were killed and 21 hurt by tornadoes elsewhere in the state. Search and rescue efforts will continue throughout the night, officials said.
Monday's twister hit Moore, a suburb of about 55,000 people just south of Oklahoma City, and remained on the ground for about 45 minutes. Monday's twister hit Moore, a suburb of about 55,000 people in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and remained on the ground for about 45 minutes.
At least two schools took a "direct hit", and local news station KFOR reported 20 to 30 children were still unaccounted for.
'Coming apart''Coming apart'
President Barack Obama has called Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin to offer assistance and has asked her to contact him directly if she needs additional help. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said it was a "tragic" day and "hearts are broken" for parents looking for their children.
At the Plaza Towers Elementary School, children were being pulled out of the rubble alive soon after the storm. Emergency workers including 80 National Guardsmen and out-of-state personnel were called in to assist the search and rescue effort and emergency declarations for the affected counties had been issued, she said.
James Rushing said the school, where his foster son Aiden is a pupil, was destroyed by the storm. Governor Fallin added that President Barack Obama called to offer assistance and asked her to contact him directly if she needed additional help.
Emergency crews were searching into the night for survivors in the ruins of homes that had been levelled to their foundations.
"Our neighbourhood is covered in debris," said witness Melissa Newton.
"There's shingles and pieces of sheet rock and wood in our yard and all across our neighbourhood. Some homes are completely gone. It's devastating."
And James Rushing said the Plaza Towers Elementary School, where his foster son Aiden was a pupil, was destroyed by the storm.
"About two minutes after I got there, the school started coming apart," he told the Associated Press."About two minutes after I got there, the school started coming apart," he told the Associated Press.
Volunteers and rescue workers could be seen picking through the rubble in aerial news footage, which showed entire streets of houses levelled to their foundations. Hospitals in the area said as many as 120 people were injured, including about 70 children, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Hospitals in the area said nearly 60 people had been injured, including more than a dozen children, the Associated Press news agency reported.
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).
"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.
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 in the area.
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