A powerful Oklahoma storm swept through different parts of the city, overturning several camping vehicles, and toppling trees and power lines, according to authorities. The Oklahoma storm resulted in one reported fatality.
In the city of Pawnee, officials urged residents to stay indoors while emergency crews assessed the damage and worked to restore power after the storm hit Thursday night.
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“There is significant damage, multiple road closures, and emergency crews throughout the town,” the city posted online late Thursday.
Pawnee County Sheriff Darrin Varnell confirmed that one person died when an RV was overturned. He added that several others were damaged, with people “losing nearly everything they owned in just seconds.”
The National Weather Service office in Tulsa reported wind gusts up to 72 mph (116 kph) and hail as large as golf balls.
“At this point, we’re unsure if the damage was caused by straight-line winds or a tornado,” meteorologist Mark Plate from the Tulsa office stated on Friday morning. “We will send survey teams out today to assess the damage.”
Due to the storm, Pawnee Public Schools were closed Friday, and homecoming events scheduled for Thursday night were canceled.
Pawnee, a city of about 1,900 residents, is located in northeast Oklahoma, roughly 60 miles (97 kilometers) west of Tulsa.
