Oklahoma tornado destroys homes, forces Air Force base to close

A powerful tornado in Oklahoma on Thursday ripped roofs off buildings, destroyed homes, knocked down utility poles and forced an Air Force base to close.

The confirmed tornado moved across parts of Enid, a city of about 50,000 people in Garfield County near the state’s northern border, according to the National Weather Service. Videos posted online show a rapidly rotating column of air touching down, along with totaled homes.

Keli Cain, public affairs director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, told CBS News Friday morning that no deaths have been reported but there have been 10-15 injuries.

Commercial buildings just south of the city were turned into a pile of twisted metal, splintered wood and insulation by the powerful twister. Buildings were pushed completely off concrete foundations.

The tornado knocked down utility poles and left power lines wrapped with huge chunks of debris. A nearby home had part of its metal roof torn off and trees were left stripped of bark and limbs.

Neighboring counties also reported some flooded roads and barn damage. Some roads and part of U.S. Interstate 81 were closed, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said.

Local police were sent to the affected areas and began home searches, followed by multiple searches by the Enid Fire Department and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Enid Mayor David Mason said Friday.

Mason said some residents were trapped in their homes by debris and had to be rescued. He said some of the worst damage happened in Gray Ridge, a neighborhood on the south side of the city, where homes were knocked down.

“The support from our community has been remarkable. Local businesses have offered equipment and labor, residents have opened their doors, and supplies have poured in already,” Mason posted online. “This is who Enid is in challenging moments — we continue to show up for one another.”

Video from the scene showed piles of rubble where homes once stood. Other buildings appeared to be leveled.

Amy Kuntz, who was driving home to Enid, was calming her daughter over the phone during the storm.

“She said, ‘I don’t know what to do,’ And then I was like, ‘Get in the bathtub.’ So she got in the bathtub and not even a minute later, she’s like, ‘Mom, the roof’s gone,'” Kuntz told KFOR-TV.

Overnight, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that its phone lines were down because of tornado damage and told residents to call 911 if they had an emergency.

Vance Air Force Base, in Enid, said in a Facebook post early Friday that it was closed until further notice due to “ongoing power and water restoration efforts.”

“Only mission essential personnel required to support critical operations and restoration of base utilities should report for duty,” the base added. “All other personnel should remain at home and monitor official base communication channels for updates and reporting instructions.”

The base said all of its personnel were accounted for, no injuries were reported and damage assessments were being conducted across the installation.

CBS Oklahoma City affiliate KWTV reported that the Oakwood Christian Church in Enid offered shelter Thursday night for people affected by the storm.

In a social media post, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said, “Please join me in praying for the Enid community, which has been severely impacted by tonight’s tornado.

More storms are possible through Friday night across south-central and southeast Oklahoma, the National Weather Service in Norman said. Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop Saturday, including in the Enid area.

Video from the scene showed piles of rubble where homes once stood. Other buildings appeared to be leveled.

It was a stormy night for other states, too. In Kearney, Missouri, north of Kansas City, officials reported downed trees, debris blocking roadways and damage to homes on Thursday night after storms passed through the area. Officials said in a social media post that no injuries had been reported. Crews worked to make roads passable by early Friday and were expected to continue cleanup efforts during the day.