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Thirteen dead after deadly tornado outbreak and flooding across Oklahoma

Kim Vanaken, left, consoles her sister Angela Coble, center, along with Amber Kelley while looking at what is left of Coble's house in El Reno, Oklahoma, on Saturday, June 1 (Image: CNN)

Kim Vanaken, left, consoles her sister Angela Coble, center, along with Amber Kelley while looking at what is left of Coble's house in El Reno, Oklahoma, on Saturday, June 1 (Image: CNN)


Staff writers

Saturday, June 1, 2013, 4:36 PM - Severe weather in Central Oklahoma caused widespread damage and flooding in an already storm-battered region.

Emergency officials set out Saturday to assess damage from a series of violent storms and tornadoes that killed at least 13 people as it swept through Oklahoma City and its suburbs with tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain. More than 100 people were injured.

Muddy floodwaters stood several feet deep in the countryside surrounding the metro area.


Torrential downpours followed for hours after the twisters moved east, and water damage was reported at the city's airport. The storms battered a state still reeling after the top-of-the-scale EF5 tornado that ripped through suburban Moore last month, killing 24 people and decimating neighbourhoods.

Water surged hood-high on many streets, snarling traffic at the worst possible time: Friday's evening commute. Even though several businesses closed early so employees could beat the storm home, highways were still clogged with motorists worried about a repeat of the chaos in Moore.



Severe flooding took out a chunk of a road in eastern Oklahoma County.

Amazingly enough, cars were still driving by on the dangerous highway Saturday morning as water rushed over the road, pouring off in a literal waterfall into a huge sinkhole.

The U.S. averages more than 1,200 tornadoes a year and most are relatively small. Of the 60 EF5 tornadoes to hit since 1950, Oklahoma and Alabama have been hit the most -- seven times each.

With files from CNN and The Associated Press


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