tornadoes News

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Hosts Recovery Roundup in Moore

Central Oklahoma storm survivors still dealing with insurance issues are invited to a recovery assistance event hosted by the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID). The Recovery Roundup will be held Aug. 17 at Southmoore High School from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 …

Shelter Permits Sought in Norman, Oklahoma after Tornadoes

Applications from Norman, Okla., residents looking to build storm shelters have increased sharply in the aftermath of deadly tornadoes that struck in Moore and other nearby areas of the Oklahoma City metro. The May 19 and 20 tornadoes killed dozens …

Oklahoma Leaders Ask ‘What Have We Learned’ from May Storms?

With thousands of destroyed houses, 46 deaths and damage estimates topping the $5 billion mark, victims of Oklahoma’s two EF-5 tornadoes are asking the same question: What have we learned? The answers are almost as varied as those asking the …

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner to Storm Survivors: Register With FEMA

Survivors of the tornadoes, severe storms and flooding that occurred in Oklahoma from May 18 to June 2 have less than two weeks to register for state and federal disaster assistance. The deadline is July 19. “Even if you think …

Interest in Storm Shelters Rising in Texas Panhandle

In a region that frequently sees tornadoes, Texas Panhandle residents are considering storm shelters and other tools to stay safe in a twister as dangerous and deadly as the ones that have recently struck North Texas and Oklahoma. Mike Vaughn, …

Oklahoma Lawmakers Seek to Increase Looting Penalties

Reports of dozens of arrests of suspected looters in tornado-ravaged areas of central Oklahoma prompted several legislators to call for increasing the penalty for taking items from victims of natural disasters. Moore police have arrested about three dozen people for …

Some Arkansas Cities Mapping Storm Shelters

Officials in at least two Arkansas cities are asking their residents to let them know if they have storm shelters, while a third says he wants to update his city’s maps of the shelters. City officials in Searcy have asked …

Moore’s Cost for Debris Removal Much Higher than Oklahoma City’s

The city of Moore, Okla., is paying a local contractor three times what neighboring Oklahoma City is being charged by vendors from out-of-state to remove debris left over from late May’s deadly tornadoes. The disparity comes as a surprise to …

More than 56K Tons of Debris Cleared in Moore, Oklahoma

More than 56,000 tons of debris have been removed from the 19 neighborhoods in Moore, Okla., that were affected by the deadly tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City suburb last month, city officials said. The cost of the work …

Oklahoma Twister Victims Face Long Recovery, Insurance Woes

When the big twister hit, Maylene Sorrels huddled with her students in the halls of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla. Cowering, she covered the student’s heads. Then Sorrels, a teacher’s aide, tried to reassure her kids they would …