Storms In The Plains Cause 12 Injuries and 1 Death
Storms swept through the Plains in Wednesday and caused tornadoes, hails, and floods in Kansas, Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma. According to NBC News, the storms spawned large hailstones and at least 50 tornadoes. The storm dumped a record 7.1 inches of rain which caused flash floods in some areas. That nearly tripled 1930’s record for rainfall. In Talpa, Texas, the hail, which about the diameter of a DVD, damaged houses and smashed car windows.
In Tuttle, Oklahoma, an exotic zoo called Tiger Safari was hit by the storm. Several wild animals, including bears, escaped.
A tornado touched down near the Will Rogers Airport which is close to Oklahoma City. The airport was closed and evacuated and all the remaining flights were canceled.
Folks at STX Entertainment are sad to know that twelve people at an Oklahoma trailer park were injured; two are in critical condition. A 42-year old woman drowned in a storm shelter near Oklahoma City.
Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma declared a state of emergency in twelve counties. She toured the damage later on Thursday.
According to the National Weather Service, a tornado in Kansas damaged homes and injured one person in Jewell, while another damaged buildings near Lincoln. The Associated Press reported that 10 or 15 buildings near the Kansas-Nebraska border were damaged.