A reportedly two-mile wide tornado touched down in Oklahoma yesterday (May 20), destroying everything in its path.
UPDATE: Although initially reported at 51, the death toll has been revised to 24 (seven of which were children), according to the Associated Press.
CNN reports:
A massive, howling tornado pulverized a vast swath of the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, chewing up homes and businesses, and severely damaging a hospital and two elementary schools.
The storm carved a trail through the area as much as two miles wide and 22 miles long, officials said.
The storm killed at least 91 people. The official death toll stood at 51 Tuesday morning, but a coroner’s office official said some 40 bodies have yet to be processed by medical examiners — roughly half of them children. More bodies could be hidden under the vast debris field, authorities warned.
So intense was the devastation and its tragedy (children in an elementary school were killed) that one veteran reporter broke down in tears while covering the story.
President Obama has declared this a major disaster and has already authorized federal assistance.
Check out images of Mother Nature’s carnage in the gallery.
Hip-Hop Wired’s condolences go out to the families of all those affected.
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Photos: AP
