By Bianca Tan (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: May 21, 2013 07:52 AM EDT


View Oklahoma tornado sites in a larger map

A giant tornado hit the town of Moore in Oklahoma devastating the area and killing 91 people, including children reports Kfor.com.

Reports say the tornado was two miles wide at one point, and struck the town around afternoon on Monday. It struck the streets, flung cars in the air and left homes flattened and schools crushed. Officials say 233 people have already been confirmed to be injured by the calamity.

Two schools were severely affected, leaving students trapped inside its walls.

Plaza towers Elementary School was greatly affected by the tornado, leaving its students hurt and injured. According to the New York Times, the school was "reduced to a pile of twisted metal and toppled walls." Rescuers were able to pull students from wrecked site; however, by evening workers were struggling to get through the rubble to save a dozen more students still trapped in the collapsed school.

In Briarwood Elementary School, cars were "thrown through the façade," reports the Times. The school's roof was also torn off, leaving no place for students to come back to after this devastating incident.

"Numerous neighbourhoods were completely levelled," Sgt. Gary Knight told the NY Times over the phone. "Neighbourhoods just wiped clean."

The victims of the tornado were rushed at nearby hospitals, flooding the town's medical centres. The times reported that over 145 people were injured by the storm, including 70 children. Also, according to CNN, 51 people have died due to the storm, 20 were children. Oklahoma City medical examiner spokeswoman Amy Elliott said the numbers are expected to rise over the course of the rescue missions.

"They've been coming in minute by minute," Brook Cayot of the Integris Southwest Medical Centre told the Times.

CNN reports that the area is still without water after the catastrophe. City officials are hoping to restore it overnight. President Barack Obama has also declared Oklahoma disaster area. Federal emergency aid are expected to help in recovery efforts in the area.

VIDEO
 (Video Courtesy of CNN)

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View Oklahoma tornado sites in a larger map

View Oklahoma tornado sites in a larger map

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