One dead and dozens injured by tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma

Tornadoes ripped through parts of Texas and Oklahoma on Friday, killing at least one person, injuring dozens more and leaving dozens of homes and buildings in ruins.

The tornadoes hit McCurtain County, Oklahoma, in the far southeastern corner of the state. Cody McDaniel, the county emergency manager, confirmed one death, although he did not immediately provide details.

The small town of Idabel saw a church, medical center and school destroyed.

“There was total destruction on the south and east sides of Idabel,” Steven Carter, emergency management coordinator for McCurtain County, told the Texarkana Gazette.

Carter told the newspaper that people were still stuck Friday night.

Gov. Kevin Stitt said search and rescue teams and generators were being dispatched to the Idabel area.

“Praying for Oklahomans affected by today’s tornadoes,” Stitt tweeted.

Keli Cain with the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management said at least three other counties were also hit by storms, with flash flooding in some areas.

The National Weather Service said tornadoes were also reported in Texas and Arkansas and that a storm system was heading toward Louisiana.

In Texas, Lamar County authorities said at least 50 homes were damaged or destroyed and 10 people were treated at a hospital, including two with serious injuries. No deaths were immediately reported.

Judge Brandon Bell, the county’s highest-ranking elected official, declared a disaster in the area, a step toward federal funding and assistance. Bell’s statement said at least two dozen people were injured throughout the county.

One hard-hit community was Powderly, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of Idabel and about 120 miles (193 kilometers) northeast of Dallas. Both Powderly and Idabel are close to the Texas-Oklahoma border.

The Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management said the tornado touched down shortly after 4 p.m. and traveled north to northeast through the communities of Hopewell, Caviness, Beaver Creek and Powderly.

Randi Johnson, chief of the Powderly Volunteer Fire Department, told The Paris News that she didn’t know anyone had been killed, but she knew there were injuries.

“It’s going to take a long time to clean this up, but the community came together,” Johnson said. “It’s really heartbreaking to watch.”

Churches opened their doors to serve as a shelter for those whose homes were affected.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and turn on notifications, or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.