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Dozens killed in Moore, Oklahoma tornado Oklahoma tornado: Dozens killed in Moore
(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 Oklahoma City suburbs, with the death toll likely to rise.
About 120 people, including 70 children, are being treated for injuries in hospitals around Moore. Worst hit was Moore, south of the city, where neighbourhoods were flattened and schools were destroyed by winds of up to 200mph (321km/h).
The tornado sparked fires, flattened neighbourhoods, and destroyed schools on Monday afternoon. About 120 people, including 70 children, are being treated in hospitals for their injuries.
Search and rescue efforts will continue throughout the night, officials said. Search and rescue efforts are continuing throughout the night.
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, 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. The Oklahoma chief medical examiner's office said children were among the 51 dead.
'Coming apart' At least two schools were devastated by the high winds, and there are reports that children are still unaccounted for.
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 that President Barack Obama had called her to offer assistance.
Governor Fallin added that President Barack Obama called to offer assistance and asked her to contact him directly if she needed additional help. More than 200 Oklahoma National Guardsmen as well as out-of-state personnel have been called in to assist the search-and-rescue effort.
Emergency crews were searching into the night for survivors in the ruins of homes that had been levelled to their foundations. 'Devastating'
More than 200 Oklahoma National Guardsmen as well as out-of-state personnel have been called in to assist the search and rescue effort. Shocked survivors spoke of the tornado's power.
"Our neighbourhood is covered in debris," said witness Melissa Newton. "We locked the cellar door once we saw it coming, it got louder and next thing you know is you see the latch coming undone," survivor Ricky Stover said.
"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." "We couldn't reach for it and it ripped open the door and just glass and debris started slamming on us and we thought we were dead, to be honest."
And James Rushing said the Plaza Towers Elementary School, where his foster son Aiden was a pupil, was destroyed by the storm. Melissa Newton said: "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."
"About two minutes after I got there, the school started coming apart," he told the Associated Press. James Rushing said he had rushed to the Plaza Towers Elementary School, where his foster son Aiden was a pupil, to see it destroyed by the storm.
Hospitals in the area said as many as 120 people were injured, including about 70 children, the Associated Press news agency reported. "About two minutes after I got there, the school started coming apart," he told the Associated Press news agency.
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 had generated winds of up to 200mph.
"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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