A powerful tornado ripped through a town in Oklahoma, damaging at least 40 homes but leaving residents largely unharmed, officials said.
Raeann Hunt rushed to her underground shelter as the tornado moved toward her home.
“It is headed right for us,” she recalled thinking as she briefly looked outside.
She took cover in a small concrete cellar with her husband, brother-in-law and a neighbour. Inside, they heard loud roaring sounds, metal hitting the door and glass shattering.
When they came out, they found their single-storey brick house badly damaged, with broken windows and a partially destroyed roof.
The storm hit Enid, a city of about 50,000 people, on Thursday night. According to the National Weather Service, the EF-4 tornado stayed on the ground for about 9 miles, with wind speeds reaching 170 to 175 mph and a width of around 500 yards at its peak.
During the 30 to 40 minutes of destruction, dozens of homes were damaged, with some pushed off their foundations. However, no deaths were reported and only minor injuries occurred.
Residents said people in the area are well prepared for such disasters.
“People around here have a plan,” Hunt said, explaining that most residents either move to a central room in their homes or go underground during tornado warnings.
Basements are rare in Oklahoma due to soil and water conditions, but many homes have storm shelters or reinforced safe rooms.
Residents also rely on weather updates through television and mobile alerts, especially during spring when tornado risks increase.
“Especially in Oklahoma, we have great meteorologists,” said Justin Hunt, describing the aftermath as a disaster.
The storm caused widespread destruction in areas south of the city, where commercial buildings were reduced to piles of twisted metal and broken wood. Utility poles were knocked down, and power lines were tangled with debris.
In some homes, roofs were torn apart, trees were stripped of branches, and parts of walls were ripped away, exposing interiors.
“Usually when we see this level of damage, there are fatalities,” Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said. “We are very thankful there was no loss of life.”
Emergency teams, including police, firefighters and highway patrol officers, searched homes and rescued some trapped residents, said Enid Mayor David Mason.
“Supplies have already started arriving,” Mason said, adding that the community is coming together to support those affected.
Residents and volunteers also began clearing debris. Dave Lamerton spent the morning recovering items from his son’s damaged workshop, which was destroyed by the tornado.
“The tornado came straight through here and hit us directly,” he said, pointing to piles of broken wood, furniture and machinery.
Meteorologists said images of the tornado showed large clouds of debris on both sides, a sign of a very strong storm.
“If you see something like that, you know it’s a violent tornado,” said Mark Fox of the National Weather Service.
Nearby areas also reported flooded roads and damage to barns. Officials are surveying damage from several possible tornadoes in north-central Oklahoma.
At Vance Air Force Base, fences and equipment were damaged, forcing the base to close temporarily as power and water services are restored. No injuries were reported there.
More severe weather is expected in parts of Oklahoma through Friday night, with the possibility of strong thunderstorms on Saturday.
Storms also hit other states. In Missouri, officials reported fallen trees, blocked roads and damage to homes, though no injuries were reported. Cleanup efforts continued on Friday.