ODEM provides update on recent severe weather, 4 dead, 296 reported injured

4/30 Update:

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management released another situation update for the recent severe weather across Oklahoma.

For a list of current watches and warnings in Oklahoma, click HERE.

Residents who have been impacted by storms can report damages to their property to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management by clicking HERE.

For residents needing non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, you are asked to contact your local 211 services which are available 24 hours a day.

4/29 Update:

The Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed four storm-related fatalities:

2 fatalities in Holdenville (including a 4-month-old infant)

1 fatality on Interstate 35 near Marietta (passenger in a semi-truck)

1 fatality in Sulphur

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 100 injuries have been reported by area hospitals:

25 Cut/Pierce

30 Falls

16 Struck by or Against

17 Transportation Related

12 Other

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management has coordinated numerous resource requests for search and rescue teams, operations support teams, and mass care.

Two American Red Cross shelters remain open:

Crossway First Baptist Church, 2108 W. Broadway Ave., Sulphur

Christ Community Church Ardmore, 2620 Mount Washington Road, Ardmore

Oklahoma Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has chainsaw teams in Sulphur and Morris and a mass feeding kitchen in Sulphur to provide meals. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)-trained chaplains are also available for affected residents and first responders.

Mercy Chefs is providing hot meals for impacted residents at Crossway First Baptist Church, 2108 W. Broadway Ave in Sulphur.

The Salvation Army is providing first responders meals in Love and Murray counties. Each service will run until no longer needed. Emotional and spiritual care workers are also available.

Volunteers who wish to help with cleanup in Sulphur can check in at the Murray County Expo Center at 730 Cambridge Drive in Sulphur.

More here

Update: The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (ODEM) released a situation update for the severe weather that occurred Saturday night into Sunday morning.

ODEM said the Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed 2 fatalities in Holdenville and 1 on Interstate 35 near Marietta. Governor Stitt announced a fourth fatality in Sulphur.

ODEM said the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 100 injuries from area hospitals due to the storms.

25 of those injuries were from cuts/pierces. 30 were falls. 16 were people struck by or against something. 17 were transportation-related. 12 were other types of injuries.

ODEM also said they have received the following storm reports:

• Hughes County Emergency Management is reporting 14 homes damaged or destroyed in Holdenville. North and southbound lanes of SH-48 are closed between SH-9E and US-270 near Holdenville due to severe weather clean-up.
• Love County Emergency Management is reporting damages in and around Marietta, including damage to the Marietta Hospital. Hospital patients took shelter during the storms and no injuries in the hospital were reported. Southbound I-35 is now open and northbound I-35 is down to one lane at mm 15 in Marietta. Drivers should use extra caution in the area and be prepared for delays or lane closures as crews work to clear debris from severe weather. North and southbound US-77 are closed south of Marietta due to severe weather clean-up.
• Murray County Emergency Management is reporting significant damage in Sulphur and numerous injuries. All lanes of SH-7 and US-177 are closed in Sulphur due to severe weather clean-up.
• Okfuskee County Emergency Management is reporting four properties with damage, including three homes and one outbuilding.
• Wagoner County Emergency Management reported downed powerlines trapped people in cars in ditches or motels. Numerous damages to structures are reported, including an apartment complex that had its roof removed. Downed trees are causing access issues for responders.

There are about 22,000 power outages across the state, with most of them being in Carter, Love, Johnston, Murray, and Hughes Counties.

The state’s price gouging law is now in effect. The law prohibits an increase of more than 10 percent for the price of goods and services after a declared emergency. The law allows the attorney general to pursue charges against people or businesses that engage in price gouging. For more information or to report a complaint, people can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit at 833-681-1895.

ODEM is asking people to report damages to their property at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts.

ODEM also said the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) is available to help residents with issues they may have with their insurance claims. People can contact OID at 800-522-0071 or at http://www.oid.ok.gov/after.

More than a dozen tornadoes spun up in Oklahoma as a violent line of thunderstorms pushed through the state late Saturday into early Sunday, killing at least two people in the small town of Holdenville and a third in Marietta.

The Murray County town was one of several that had significant damage, perhaps none more than Sulphur, which also suffered a reported 30 injuries.

Governor Kevin Stitt has issued an emergency disaster declaration for 12 counties, and visited Sulphur to view some of the damage Sunday afternoon.

Meteorologists warn that further storms could develop in the state beginning late Tuesday or early Wednesday, bringing with them further chances for severe weather and flooding.

The Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management issued this preliminary statement on damage early Sunday morning:

STORM REPORTS

Damage assessments are ongoing in numerous areas and won’t be complete until storms have passed through the impacted areas, however the following damages have been reported to the State Emergency Operations Center as of 1:30 a.m.

Ardmore Emergency Management reports damage and power outages in Ardmore. Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) reports injuries and power lines down in Carter County at the Flying J Truck Stop on Michelin Road. Plain View School was also damaged in the storms.

Cotton County Emergency Management reports three to five homes damaged in the Devol area. Numerous trees are down. One storm-related vehicle accident is also reported.

Duncan Emergency Management reports roadway flooding in the City of Duncan. Stephens County Emergency Management reports Clarity Creek in Duncan is close to overflowing.

Garfield County Emergency Management reports two homes damaged in the Hillsdale area.

Grant County Emergency Management reports numerous trees damaged or down.

Hughes County Emergency Management reports 14 homes are damaged or destroyed in Holdenville. Highway 9 is blocked due to debris in the roadway. Muscogee Creek Nation is assisting with debris clearing and searching for area of impact. Seminole and Seminole County Emergency Management and Fire and Sheriff are providing command support. Oklahoma City Task Force One will respond Sunday for Search and Rescue support.

Kay County Emergency Management reports three to four structures were damaged by storms earlier this evening northwest of Newkirk. Numerous trees and power poles were down. Two vehicle accidents were a result of the storms. Heavy rain also caused flooding on area roads.

Lincoln County Emergency Management reports debris and damage in the Davenport and Sparks areas.

Love County Emergency Management reports damages in and around Marietta including damage to the Marietta Hospital. Hospital patients took shelter during the storms and no injuries in the hospital are reported. I-35 north is closed at the Texas State Line due to overturned vehicles and powerlines across the highway. The Chickasaw Nation is providing incident support in Marietta.

Marlow Emergency Management reports roadway flooding on Highway 81 and E. Apache Ave.

McClain County Emergency Management reports damage west of Goldsby along Highway 74B.

Midwest City Emergency Management reports at least one structure damaged and multiple powerlines and limbs down.

Murray County Emergency Management reports significant damage in Sulphur and numerous injuries. Search and rescue is ongoing at this time. OHP reports troopers are responding to apartments on Woodruff where tornado damage occurred. US-177 approximately 2 miles north of Sulphur is closed due to flooding.

Okmulgee County Emergency Management reports the Town of Morris has multiple power lines and power poles down. Search and rescue is ongoing and the county is clearing debris from the roadways.

Payne County Emergency Management reports damage to trees and outbuildings near Lone Chimney.

Tillman County Emergency Management reports flash flooding north of Grandfield. Numerous powerlines are down.

POWER OUTAGES

Approximately 43,000 outages are reported statewide. Areas with the highest number of damages are Tulsa, Carter, Murray, Love, Hughes, Pontotoc, and Seminole counties.

RESIDENTS ASKED TO REPORT DAMAGE

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is asking residents impacted by the storms to report damages to their property at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps local and state emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts. Residents can report damage to homes, businesses or agriculture through the online survey.

DIAL 211

For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies.