Large tornado lays waste to Claremore, much of northeast Oklahoma

By John Dobberstein, Editor

It was an evening to neglect in Owasso and Claremore as a powerful, long-lived supercell produced a twister that left a path of destruction in each of cities and throughout northeastern Oklahoma.

“Reviews of twister injury have been confirmed throughout the county, with a number of areas experiencing downed energy traces, timber, and broken houses,” mentioned Rogers County Emergency Administration in a Fb publish.

A number of regulation enforcement businesses and first responders in Claremore had been conducting search-and-rescue efforts after the storm handed, with comparable work taking place east in communities simply east of there. 

Widespread injury to buildings and downed timber and energy traces had been reported, together with injury to a on line casino and a church. A KOA campground close to Claremore was struck by the storm, blowing over or tossing round quite a few campers and trapping some occupants, reported photojournalist Bryan Emfinger. 

“Claremore is shut down, keep away from the realm,” the Claremore Police Division mentioned on its Fb web page, as officers had been coping with quite a few gawkers driving into city to view the injury. 

Comparable injury was additionally reported in Owasso because the twister rolled by means of the center of the town, taking down quite a few timber and energy traces. Farther east, downtown Salina additionally took a direct hit from a twister that broken buildings.

The identical storm crossed into northwest Arkansas round 1 a.m., threatening a more-populated areas.