Death toll in Oklahoma rises to 91
According to new CNN reports, the mile-wide tornado killed at least 91 people, 20 of them children, as it ravaged parts of Oklahoma City Monday afternoon, flattening homes, flinging cars through the air and crushing at least two schools.
UPDATE: Death toll numbers reduced to 24, only 9 were children – more here
Hospitals are packed full of the injured while rescue workers search out survivors amongst the debris-filled streets and remains.
A nurse walks past the devastation, what is left of the Moore Hospital
Desperate parents stood around what was left of the devastated Plaza Towers Elementary School, many of them sobbing, as rescuers worked to help pull out school children and faculty.
“I know there’s a number of dead children from that school,” Oklahoma City Police spokesman Sgt. Gary Knight said.
Authorities said Briarwood Elementary School in Moore received a “direct hit” from the storm and was also destroyed, with its roof and walls blown off.
Children were still in school because in anticipation of the severe weather this afternoon, schools in the Moore area did not release their students at the end of the day, according to Oklahoma Emergency Management officials.
The city of Moore, Oklahoma, has no running water, Mayor Glenn Lewis told CNN on Monday evening. It was uncertain when water service would be restored.
President Barack Obama signed a disaster declaration for Oklahoma Monday night, a White House statement said. The declaration means federal emergency aid will supplement local recovery efforts.
The threat of severe weather shifts to the southeast on Tuesday, covering parts of north Texas, southwest Arkansas and northwest Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.
More photos: http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/severe-weather/index.html
