Tornadoes rumbled through the heart of Oklahoma on Monday, killing at least two people and damaging structures.
One death was confirmed in Garvin County, but Emergency Manager Bud Ramming said no others were hurt.
He said three or four homes and a few barns were destroyed.
“We’re currently working on clearing debris from the roads so we can get by,” he said.
Officials in Johnston County confirmed another death. According to Emergency Manager Jason Bryant, there have been some injuries and several homes destroyed.
Keli Cain, the public information officer of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, said the first report of a tornado was after 4 p.m. in Garvin County.
She said homes were destroyed and damaged there.
She cited reports of tornadoes in Johnston and Pottawatomie counties. The state is working with local emergency managers to get updates and search and rescue teams have been deployed.
“It could definitely be a long night for storms. We don’t know when they are expected to weaken.”
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center saw at least 18 tornadoes, according to CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward.
He said Garvin, Johnston and Pottawatomie counties were the hardest hit so far. A few tornadoes were intense but largely in rural areas so damage is fairly isolated.
Storm chasers reported that one of the tornadoes was up to a mile wide at one point.