Latest news with #OklahomaOfficeoftheChiefMedicalExaminer
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Oklahoma governor vows to rebuild charred home from wildfires that ripped through state killing 4
LUTHER, Okla. – While Oklahoma confronts the tragic loss of four lives and the destruction of hundreds of homes following a series of sweeping wildfires, the devastation struck close to home for the state's governor. The wildfires that began Friday, fueled by high winds and dry conditions, have damaged more than 400 homes statewide, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said. Some escaped with only the clothes they were wearing. Among those impacted was Gov. Kevin Stitt, who took to social media on Saturday in a poignant video documenting the complete loss of his ranch near Luther while expressing his determination to rebuild. "You never think it's going to happen to your place, and these wildfires just come out of nowhere and can really take over," he said. 42 Dead As Recovery Operations Begin In Wake Of Monster Storm That Spawned Violent Tornadoes, Dust Storms The video shows the charred remains of what was once his family's home. Stitt pans his camera to show his once basement, including a fire-damaged gun safe, and a lone standing chimney. "This was my place. And total, total loss yesterday in the fires," he explains. 13 People Rescued After Being Trapped In Burger King Bathroom During Tornado In Missouri A state of emergency remains in effect for 12 Oklahoma counties as the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirms four fatalities from the fires, with one death each reported in Lincoln, Garfield, Haskell and Pawnee counties. In addition to the loss of life, state health officials report more than 140 injuries. "Heartbreaking day across our state," he said as he spent time with fire victims in Stillwater and Mannford on Saturday morning. "Neighbors were already out helping their fellow Oklahomans. That's what the Oklahoma standard is all about." Footage captured in Stillwater showed homes engulfed in flames, as emergency management officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for several areas west of the city along State Highway 51. Terrifying Video Shows Family Riding Out Deadly Tylertown, Mississippi, Tornado Videos also documented the impact on wildlife, with footage from Harper County Emergency Management showing herds of deer fleeing the flames, leaping over fences near Selman. How To Watch Fox Weather Power crews have been working to restore power across the state. Currently, there are fewer than 1,000 outages statewide. Windy and dry conditions will maintain the fire danger across most of Oklahoma on Monday and Tuesday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue Fire Weather Warnings across much of the central and southern Plains both article source: Oklahoma governor vows to rebuild charred home from wildfires that ripped through state killing 4
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Over 40 dead after tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms wreak havoc across multiple US states
(AP) — Unusually vicious and damaging weather across multiple U.S. states spawned violent tornadoes, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires over the weekend, leaving at least 39 people dead. In the latest tally of the destruction, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said Sunday evening that more than 400 homes were damaged as wildfires swept across the state Friday. At least 74 homes in and around Stillwater were destroyed by wildfires, Mayor Will Joyce said Sunday night on Facebook. The emergency management department also said the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed four fatalities related to the fires or high winds. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The National Weather Service said weekend tornado watches had mostly expired, but dangerous winds were still possible in the Carolinas, east Georgia and northern Florida through Sunday. In Mississippi, Hailey Hart and her fiancé Steve Romero hunkered down with their three huskies inside their 1994 Toyota Celica as a tornado ripped apart their home Saturday in Tylertown. Romero said he prayed out loud and hugged Hart as the car rolled onto its side, windows shattering, before it landed on its wheels again. After the twister passed, they could hear people nearby screaming for help. 'It was a bad dream come true,' Romero said. Next door, Hart's grandparents crawled out from the rubble of their destroyed house after they sought shelter in a bathroom as falling trees collapsed the roof. 'Everything was coming down on us,' said Donna Blansett, Hart's grandmother. 'All I could do was pray to God to save us.' They escaped with just a few scratches and aches. Family members, friends and volunteers spent Sunday removing debris and salvaging anything they could find, including some damp clothes, a photo album and a few toiletries. 'I'm so happy you're alive,' Hart said through tears, as she embraced her grandmother on Sunday. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The dynamic storm that began Friday earned an unusual 'high risk' designation from weather forecasters. Still, experts said it's not unusual to see such weather extremes in March. President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media network that his administration is ready to assist affected communities. 'Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!' he posted Sunday. At least three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were killed in central Alabama when multiple tornados swept across the state. In Troy, Alabama, parks officials said the recreation center where many residents had taken refuge had to be closed due to damage from overnight storms. No one was injured. 'We are thankful the Lord provided protection over our community, and over 200 guests at the Recreation Center storm shelter on Saturday night,' the parks department said in a statement. Missouri resident Dakota Henderson said he and others rescuing trapped neighbors found five bodies scattered in rubble Friday night outside what remained of his aunt's house in hard-hit Wayne County. Scattered twisters killed at least a dozen people in the state, authorities said. 'It's really disturbing for what happened to the people, the casualties last night,' Henderson said Saturday, not far from the splintered home he said they rescued his aunt through a window of the only room left standing. Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, Missouri, described the home where one man was killed as 'just a debris field.' 'The floor was upside down,' he said. 'We were walking on walls.' In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves announced that six people died and more than 200 were displaced after tornadoes sowed devastation across three counties. And in the northern part of the state, roads were inundated and some people were stranded by flood waters. One of the deaths occurred in Covington County, where Seminary resident Traci Ladner said she watched a tornado knock down trees and power lines and destroy a house Saturday as she drove home from Ward's Restaurant. The twister touched down briefly, traveled over Highway 49 and then went back up before making another quick descent, she said. 'I was crying. My legs were shaking. It was pretty scary,' she said. In Arkansas, officials confirmed three deaths. Wind-driven wildfires caused extensive damage in Texas and Oklahoma and officials warned Sunday that parts of both states would again face an increased risk of fire danger in the coming week. More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt said. 'Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph,' said Terry Essary, the fire chief of Stillwater, Oklahoma. 'It's an insurmountable task.' Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain said Sunday that two people were killed as a result of the wildfires and weather. Meanwhile, dust storms spurred by high winds claimed almost a dozen lives on Friday. Eight people died in a Kansas highway pileup involving at least 50 vehicles, according to the state highway patrol. Authorities said three people also were killed in car crashes during a dust storm in Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle. Read: After falling ill backstage at Florida Theatre, Gladys Knight announces new date for Jax show Read: NASA's stuck astronauts welcome their newly arrived replacements to the space station Read: Ponte Vedra man posing as a tutor pleads guilty to child sex crime [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
At least 39 dead after tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms wreak havoc across multiple US states
TYLERTOWN, Miss. (AP) — Unusually vicious and damaging weather across multiple U.S. states spawned violent tornadoes, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires over the weekend, leaving at least 39 people dead. In the latest tally of the destruction, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said Sunday evening that more than 400 homes were damaged as wildfires swept across the state Friday. At least 74 homes in and around Stillwater were destroyed by wildfires, Mayor Will Joyce said Sunday night on Facebook. The emergency management department also said the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed four fatalities related to the fires or high winds. The National Weather Service said weekend tornado watches had mostly expired, but dangerous winds were still possible in the Carolinas, east Georgia and northern Florida through Sunday. In Mississippi, Hailey Hart and her fiancé Steve Romero hunkered down with their three huskies inside their 1994 Toyota Celica as a tornado ripped apart their home Saturday in Tylertown. Romero said he prayed out loud and hugged Hart as the car rolled onto its side, windows shattering, before it landed on its wheels again. After the twister passed, they could hear people nearby screaming for help. 'It was a bad dream come true,' Romero said. Next door, Hart's grandparents crawled out from the rubble of their destroyed house after they sought shelter in a bathroom as falling trees collapsed the roof. 'Everything was coming down on us,' said Donna Blansett, Hart's grandmother. 'All I could do was pray to God to save us.' They escaped with just a few scratches and aches. Family members, friends and volunteers spent Sunday removing debris and salvaging anything they could find, including some damp clothes, a photo album and a few toiletries. 'I'm so happy you're alive,' Hart said through tears, as she embraced her grandmother on Sunday. Forecasters warned of dangerous conditions that turned deadly The dynamic storm that began Friday earned an unusual 'high risk' designation from weather forecasters. Still, experts said it's not unusual to see such weather extremes in March. President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media network that his administration is ready to assist affected communities. 'Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!' he posted Sunday. At least three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were killed in central Alabama when multiple tornados swept across the state. In Troy, Alabama, parks officials said the recreation center where many residents had taken refuge had to be closed due to damage from overnight storms. No one was injured. 'We are thankful the Lord provided protection over our community, and over 200 guests at the Recreation Center storm shelter on Saturday night," the parks department said in a statement. Fatalities from twisters in battered Missouri reach 12 Missouri resident Dakota Henderson said he and others rescuing trapped neighbors found five bodies scattered in rubble Friday night outside what remained of his aunt's house in hard-hit Wayne County. Scattered twisters killed at least a dozen people in the state, authorities said. 'It's really disturbing for what happened to the people, the casualties last night," Henderson said Saturday, not far from the splintered home he said they rescued his aunt through a window of the only room left standing. Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, Missouri, described the home where one man was killed as 'just a debris field.' 'The floor was upside down,' he said. 'We were walking on walls.' Deaths in Mississippi and Arkansas In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves announced that six people died and more than 200 were displaced after tornadoes sowed devastation across three counties. And in the northern part of the state, roads were inundated and some people were stranded by flood waters. One of the deaths occurred in Covington County, where Seminary resident Traci Ladner said she watched a tornado knock down trees and power lines and destroy a house Saturday as she drove home from Ward's Restaurant. The twister touched down briefly, traveled over Highway 49 and then went back up before making another quick descent, she said. 'I was crying. My legs were shaking. It was pretty scary,' she said. In Arkansas, officials confirmed three deaths. Wildfires and dust storms drive up the death toll Wind-driven wildfires caused extensive damage in Texas and Oklahoma and officials warned Sunday that parts of both states would again face an increased risk of fire danger in the coming week. More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt said. 'Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph,' said Terry Essary, the fire chief of Stillwater, Oklahoma. 'It's an insurmountable task.' Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain said Sunday that two people were killed as a result of the wildfires and weather. Meanwhile, dust storms spurred by high winds claimed almost a dozen lives on Friday. Eight people died in a Kansas highway pileup involving at least 50 vehicles, according to the state highway patrol. Authorities said three people also were killed in car crashes during a dust storm in Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle. ___ Reynolds reported from Louisville, Kentucky. Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City, Utah; Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, New Jersey; Jeff Roberson in Wayne County, Missouri; Gene Johnson in Seattle; Janie Har in San Francisco and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.
