SULPHUR, Okla.—At least four deaths and dozens of injuries are attributed to a storm system that ripped through 12 counties late on April 27, including an estimated EF3 tornado that ripped through Sulphur, Oklahoma, killing one woman and injuring others.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall, and state Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg McCortney toured the devastated downtown area on April 28. Mr. Stitt called it “the worst damage” he has seen in six years.
Annie Mack-Vest, director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, said state resources have been mobilized since the system that produced the tornadoes had been predicted on April 26. During a press conference on April 28, Ms. Mack-Vest said Mr. Stitt had declared a state of emergency and taken other steps to ensure that assistance would be available for everyone affected by the storm.
The governor pointed out that the Legislature was still in session and could authorize appropriations for assistance as needed. Mr. McCall and Mr. McCortney agreed.
As of 3 p.m. on April 28, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management’s website reported four confirmed fatalities: two in Holdenville, one in Marietta, and one in Sulphur.
The website states that 100 injuries had been reported. Ms. Mack-Vest told media gathered in Sulphur that she had no reports of anyone missing but stressed that crews were still searching the wreckage.
According to witnesses, the Sulphur tornado ground a path north through the heart of downtown, flattening businesses and homes, uprooting trees in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, and flipping cars and trucks at about 10:30 p.m. Mr. Stitt said the timing may have reduced the number of casualties since many of the now-destroyed businesses were closed.
“We are probably blessed that it wasn’t any worse than what it was,” Mr. McCortney said.
Unfortunately, up to 30 patrons were reportedly gathered in Raina’s Sports Lounge when the storm flattened it, Mr. Stitt told reporters. One woman was killed, and several were taken to hospitals. Ms. Mack-Vest confirmed that there were injuries but said she had no details on their severity.