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“We're confident we had at least two tornadoes this morning,”
Ware said.
There were no immediate reports of major injuries or deaths.
Much of Purcell, a city of about 7,000, was without power after
the storm moved through there, said Bobby Elmore, chief of
police and interim city manager. He said some metal barns were
damaged, as were the roofs of some homes.
“Right now our priority is just restoring power and then dealing
with debris, a little debris. But it’s not too bad,” Elmore said
Thursday morning.
Two schools in Purcell were closed Thursday after losing power.
In a letter posted on the Purcell Public Schools’ website,
Superintendent Sheli McAdoo said the storm hit during the
morning drop-off, and she thanked staffers’ “quick thinking and
calm response” in ensuring that students were moved “from buses
and hallways into shelters in a matter of moments.”
In McClain County, where Purcell is located, around eight or
nine outbuildings were damaged as were trees and power lines,
said Ron Johnson, the county's director of emergency management.
Officials also said a semitrailer traveling on Interstate 35
near Purcell was blown over in the storm.
Kaitlin Schueth, lead meteorologist with the weather service in
Norman, said that in Shawnee, a city of about 32,000 located
about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southeast of Oklahoma City, there
were reports of damaged outbuildings and a hotel with some roof
damage.
The storms brough wind gusts of up to 65 mph (105 kph) to the
Oklahoma City area, Schueth said.
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