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At least 11 killed as powerful tornadoes devastate Texas town, blast Oklahoma and Arkansas

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At least 11 killed as powerful tornadoes devastate Texas town, blast Oklahoma and Arkansas

At least 11 people, including two young kids, are dead after a powerful tornado barreled through rural Texas Saturday night and caused a crowded gas station where people were taking shelter to collapse — leaving an additional 80 people injured as officials warn the death toll is likely “going to go up.” 

The tornado in Valley View — about 60 miles north of Dallas — was just one of several devastating twisters reported across the Lone Star State, Oklahoma and Arkansas. 

At least two people were also killed outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, and two others were killed in Boone County, Arkansas — bringing the death toll overnight to at least 11.

A truck stop that was destroyed by a tornado in Valley View, Texas on May 26, 2024. AP Photo/Julio Cortez
A truck damaged by the tornado in Valley View. AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
A pickup truck that crashed into a fallen tractor-trailer. AP Photo/Julio Cortez

At least two people were also killed outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, bringing the death toll overnight to at least nine.

Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington confirmed seven people were killed in the severe overnight storm that struck a trailer park and the AP Travel Center, which includes as Shell gas station and restaurants south of town — injuring between 60 and 80 people taking shelter inside.

At least two children, a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old were among the dead, Sappington said Sunday morning, according to Fox 4 News. 

Dozens of panicked drivers had pulled into the gas station to get off the road during the dangerous weather, only to be caught directly in the path of the tornado.

A gas pump that was torn out of the ground by the tornado that tore through Texas. AP Photo/Julio Cortez
A stop sign from Valley View that was dug up by the powerful winds. AP Photo/Julio Cortez
Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington said children were among the deceased. WFAA

Numerous people had to be rescued after being trapped inside, but everyone survived.

“I can also tell you that number is going to go up,” Sappington told WFAA of the death toll. “I don’t want to speculate and give you a number.”

Search-and-rescue efforts remain underway at the gas station and in a nearby neighborhood.

“It took some time to get back in there because of all the damage with the power lines, and trees were down. It was kind of a monumental task just to get back to where they were,” Sappington added.

The mobile home park was especially devastated by the twister.

Pinkey Edmonson inspecting a destroyed hamburger stand in Rogers, Arkansas on May 26, 2024. J.T. Wampler/The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP
Jordan Poole sweeping up broken glass at Oz Smokehouse in Rogers, Arkansas after the town was hit by a tornado. J.T. Wampler/The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP
A decorative bull lying in a ditch in Valley View after getting blown away by the tornado. AP Photo/Julio Cortez

“This took a major hit. There is not much left of it,” he said. 

Elsewhere, in Pryor, Oklahoma, outside Tulsa, least two people were killed and five others were injured, News on 6 reported.

In Claremore, about 17 miles away, a tornado devetated the town and wrecked a KOA campground, though only minor injuries were reported there, according to the station.

A body shop employee collecting missing tools after the shop was hit by a tornado in Valley View. AP Photo/Julio Cortez
Hugo Parra, of Farmers Branch, Texas, collecting his belongings from his destroyed car after taking shelter from the tornado in a truck stop. AP Photo/Julio Cortez

In Texas, Sappington urged locals to stay away from the storm damage, noting numerous reports of downed power lines and gas leaks that could cause serious injury if encountered.

Still, the sheriff was confident in their ability to come back from the serious deadly storm.

“We’ll rebuild,” he said. “It’s Texas. We can rebuild property, and as horrible as this looks, in two or three months, it won’t look like this [then]. It’ll be better. But the loss of life is just tragic. It’s always tragic. That’s what hurts the most.”

Two children were also reported missing in Cooke County following the storm, Sappington said.

Forecasters had issued tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of both states Saturday, as heat records were broken over the long holiday weekend.

As the storm moved through the region it overturned motorhomes brought down powerlines and trees and made some roads completely inaccessible.

On Saturday night the National Weather Service’s office in Norman, Oklahoma, warned areas north of Oklahoma City to “take cover now!” In a follow-up post at 10:05 p.m., the agency noted the storms had left the area and were headed across north Texas.

By 10:24 p.m. the weather service office in Fort Worth began to warn of the storm moving through the region, issuing a severe thunderstorm warning with possible “golf-ball-sized hail.”

The Norman office had compared conditions Saturday to “ a gasoline-soaked brush pile” and forecasters warned storms would likely come with large hail, dangerous winds and tornadoes.

The storm system was expected to move east as Memorial Day weekend continues, bringing rain that could delay the Indianapolis 500 auto race Sunday and more severe storms in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky.

The risk of severe weather is expected to move into North Carolina and Virginia on Monday, forecasters said.

With Post wires

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