Devastating Tornado Strikes Enid, Oklahoma

ENID, Okla. (AP) — A powerful tornado in Oklahoma ripped roofs off buildings and reduced others to rubble, knocked down power poles, and sent emergency crews rushing into a rural community near Vance Air Force Base, officials said. The confirmed tornado Thursday moved across parts of Enid, a city of about 50,000 people near the state’s northern border, according to the National Weather Service. Video showed a rapidly rotating column of air touching down along with totaled homes.There were no immediate reports of fatalities, and only minor injuries were reported hours after the tornado passed through, according to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities were going door-to-door in some neighborhoods to check on residents. Enid Mayor David Mason stated that some residents were trapped in their homes by debris and had to be rescued. Some of the worst damage occurred in Gray Ridge, a neighborhood on the south side of the city, where Mayor Mason reported, “We have quite a few homes knocked down in there.”Video from the scene captured piles of rubble where homes once stood, with other buildings appearing to be leveled. Local resident Amy Kuntz was on the phone with her daughter during the storm when her daughter, seeking guidance on what to do, found herself in a bathtub just moments before the roof was blown off their home. Fences and equipment were also knocked down at Vance Air Force Base, about 80 miles north of Oklahoma City, which announced a closure until further notice due to ongoing power and water restoration efforts. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt took to social media, stating, “Please join me in praying for the Enid community, which has been severely impacted by tonight’s tornado.” Other states also faced stormy weather; in Kearney, Missouri, officials reported downed trees and damage to homes after storms swept through the area, but no injuries were reported. Crews were working to make roads passable and continue cleanup efforts.}