A large tornado that cut through a tiny southeastern Oklahoma town killed at least two people and injured dozens more as it tore up roofs, shattered windows and tossed power lines and trees. The storm that ripped through Tushka on Thursday night left the town of about 350 people some 120 miles southeast of Oklahoma City without a public school and forced many people to seek shelter with relatives, friends or churches serving as shelters. Semi-trailers and trees were scattered on the main highway, U.S. 69, and authorities closed off some roads because of downed power lines and trees.
"It felt like a bomb," said Jennifer Buffington, who fled to a storm's cellar with her husband, Tony Stiles, and their seven children when the tornado sirens sounded.
When the family emerged, they found the windows blown out of their house. The family sought shelter at First Baptist Church in nearby Atoka.
"Everything in my house looks like shambles," said Buffington, 36, whose children range in age from 1 to 20.
Easton Crow, a junior at the public school where students from kindergarten through 12th grade attend, said he was at a baseball game in nearby Hugo when the storm hit. He went by the school after returning home and saw the damage: The roof was gone, the top story of one of the school's buildings was torn off and textbooks were scattered everywhere.
"I'm heartbroken. This is where most of us grew up," Crow, 17, said. "I'm just in awe that in a few seconds memories that have been built were taken." Read More
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