Tornado Destroys Up to 50 Homes in Enid, Oklahoma, as Residents Rally to Recover
A tornado tore through northern Oklahoma on Thursday, striking the city of Enid hard and destroying an estimated 40 to 50 homes, per News9. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management reported 10 to 15 injuries and no fatalities.
“First responders are continuing secondary searches of locations impacted by the tornado,” the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Vance Air Force Base, in the southwestern part of Enid, was closed due to issues with power and water restoration. On Friday, the base confirmed all personnel have been accounted for.
“Only mission-essential personnel required to support critical operations and restoration of base utilities should report for duty,” the base said in a statement. “All other personnel should remain at home and monitor official base communication channels for updates and reporting instructions.”
The Storm Hit Close to Home
Dave Lamerton knew his son’s woodworking shop sat directly in the storm’s path. The shop was in fact destroyed, but no one was hurt.
“We’re just going through everything this morning kind of finding the sense of humor and being blessed that nobody was hurt,” he told NBC News.
“Luckily, it’s just damage and we can replace that,” he added. “You can’t replace people.”
For Lamerton, seeing the scale and magnitude of a tornado this size right in his backyard was a first.
“A lot of times, they’ll skirt north of us or south of us. But this one, gosh, thank God it didn’t hit Vance because it was right on the edge of Vance,” he said, referencing the Air Force base.
He later told The Oklahoman, “We are blessed that nobody was hurt because it was a bad one. We live in Oklahoma, where tornadoes hit all the time. This one just hit perfect. But we’re blessed that nobody was hurt. We can fix the stuff.”
Neighbors Showed up at First Light
Community members began helping clear debris almost immediately. Lamerton described strangers arriving early Friday morning to pitch in.
“We met them today,” Lamerton said. “These guys saw it last night, got up early this morning, came down to help people out. You know, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
Enid Mayor David Mason said rescues were made for those who were trapped in their homes by debris.
“The support from our community has been remarkable. Local businesses have offered equipment and labor, residents have opened their doors, and supplies have poured in already,” he said. “This is who Enid is in challenging moments — we continue to show up for one another.”
What to Know About Storm Recovery
As of 7 a.m. Friday, there were approximately 2,600 power outages statewide. With extensive damage across Enid, the city’s immediate focus is restoring access to the hardest-hit areas.
“Our immediate goal is to make the Gray Ridge area accessible to homeowners so they can safely reach their properties to begin working with teams coordinating cleanup efforts and cat teams,” Mason wrote online. “We ask all residents to respect perimeter controls and allow first responders to determine when it is safe to allow non-residents into the area. For now, please avoid the immediate vicinity so crews can continue their work efficiently.”
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
