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| Dozens killed in Moore, Oklahoma tornado | Dozens killed in Moore, Oklahoma tornado |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 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. | 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. |
| About 120 people, including 70 children, are being treated for injuries in hospitals around Moore. | About 120 people, including 70 children, are being treated for injuries in hospitals around Moore. |
| The tornado sparked fires, flattened neighbourhoods, and destroyed schools on Monday afternoon. | The tornado sparked fires, flattened neighbourhoods, and destroyed schools on Monday afternoon. |
| Search and rescue efforts will continue throughout the night, officials said. | Search and rescue efforts will continue throughout the night, officials said. |
| 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. | 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. | 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' |
| Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said it was a "tragic" day and "hearts are broken" for parents looking for their children. | Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said it was a "tragic" day and "hearts are broken" for parents looking for their children. |
| Governor Fallin added that President Barack Obama called to offer assistance and asked her to contact him directly if she needed additional help. | 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. | Emergency crews were searching into the night for survivors in the ruins of homes that had been levelled to their foundations. |
| More than 200 Oklahoma National Guardsmen as well as out-of-state personnel have been called in to assist the search and rescue effort. | |
| "Our neighbourhood is covered in debris," said witness Melissa Newton. | "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." | "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. | 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. |
| 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 as many as 120 people were injured, including about 70 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. |
| 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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