Numerous tornadoes, including a twister in Oklahoma that was approximately a quarter-mile wide, ripped through the Midwest and South on Wednesday evening, leaving destruction in their wake.
At least 12 people were injured, but no storm-related deaths have been reported.
Around 5:10 near Halstead KS. #kswx pic.twitter.com/LJMDpxb36G
— Brian Miner (@BDMphoto) May 6, 2015
Dozens of homes were destroyed in areas around Oklahoma City. Preliminary estimates said approximately 10 homes were destroyed or had major damage in Amber, and 25 more in Bridge Creek, Grady County Emergency Services director Dale Thompson said, according to The Associated Press. KFOR reported that a tornado moving southwest of Oklahoma City could be an EF3 or EF4 on the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale, but this was not confirmed by officials.
The Oklahoma news station also said at least five tornadoes had been spotted while at least nine touched down in Kansas. Large, possibly destructive twisters were seen on the ground near Norman and Bridge Creek in Oklahoma, Roseland in Nebraska and Scandia in Kansas, the Weather Channel reported.
A fire station was leveled in Bridge Creek, and 10 to 15 homes were damaged in Roseland, a National Weather Service official said. A church was also reportedly destroyed.
After a possible tornado hit the animal habitat Tiger Safari in Tuttle, Oklahoma, the Grady County Sheriff's Department said that several animals had escaped. Residents were warned to stay inside as authorities searched the area.
The sheriff's office later announced that all of the animals were accounted for. None of the creatures were injured, officials for the habitat said.
Areas from Texas to Nebraska were put under tornado or severe weather watches by the National Weather Service. The Midwest and South also saw severe weather earlier in the week, including storms that produced multiple tornadoes in Texas on Tuesday.
People near the tornadoes' paths were told to take shelter, and tornado sirens could be heard in videos from many communities. Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City evacuated all persons to a pedestrian tunnel and closed the airfield. A tornado on the ground north of the University of Oklahoma in Norman prompted the school to send out an alert, instructing people to stay away from windows and doors. The city was put under a tornado emergency, as was Moore, Oklahoma, which was devastated by a deadly tornado two years ago.
Portions of Interstate 44 and Interstate 35 in Oklahoma were shut down, and the National Weather Service reported overturned vehicles and downed power lines south of Oklahoma City. A flash flood emergency was declared for first time in Oklahoma City history, and other areas were under flash flood warnings due to the storms.
In Texas, ping pong ball-sized hail and winds of 60 mph were reported.
@NEWS9 Thrill seeking boyfriend equals awesome video of a tornado. This is the storm that first did damage…
— Hannah Burgess (@hburgess95) May 06 2015
Now. My house Norman #okwx #tornado pic.twitter.com/z13ehQjJR7
— SAINT LAN (@KC7RUN) May 6, 2015