LOCALS ABOUT THEIR DEVASTATED TOWN. IT’S DEVASTATING MAN. I MEAN, I COULDN’T IMAGINE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING TO ME, LET ALONE ANYBODY ELSE. WE WERE SAYING THE CELLAR, MY BROTHER, HE CALLED ME, HE WAS IN HIS HOUSE AND HE SAID IT WAS JUST SHAKING AND EVERYTHING ELSE. A TORNADO RAVAGING HOLDENVILLE ALSO TOOK A LIFE AND AFTER AN HOURS LONG SEARCH FOR A FOUR MONTH OLD BABY THAT DEATH COUNT ROSE TO TWO. THE BABY WAS FOUND AND THAT IT WAS A FATALITY. NOW THEY’RE SURVEYING ALL THE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AS THEY WORK TO REBUILD. I’VE SEEN SOME HOUSES THAT ARE DESTROYED. I’VE SEEN SOME ROOFS GONE. ONE WORKER WHO IS TRYING TO RESTORE CELL SERVICE SAYS HIS BIGGEST OBSTACLE HAS BEEN DOWNED POWER LINES. WE CAN’T HARDLY GET ANYWHERE IN THERE. AND THEN YOU KNOW, TRYING TO AVOID BEING STUCK IN IT. I, YOU KNOW, I GOT STUCK OVER HERE IN THE MUD AND ECHOED SENTIMENT FROM FIRST RESPONDERS. IT’S JUST SLOW. AND WITH THAT LEVEL OF DESTRUCTION, RESIDENTS TELL ME THEY’RE WORKING HARD TO GET TO THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS AND SEE HOW THEY CAN HELP. MY BROTHER LIVES DOWN THERE ANOTHER MILE. I’M TRYING TO GET TO HIM. I THINK IT BLOW THIS TRACTOR SHED AWAY AND THE HOUSE JUST DOWN FROM THERE. I THINK IT BLOWED IT PLUMB AWAY. THE COMMUNITY JU
Holdenville grapples with devastation of losing homes, 2 lives in a tornado
One of those victims was a 4-month-old, according to Hughes County Emergency Management
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Updated: 5:55 PM CDT Apr 28, 2024
An hourslong search ended in heartbreak as two people were confirmed dead after a tornado tore through Holdenville.| MORE | Oklahoma Tornadoes: At least 4 dead, 100 injured across the stateOn Sunday, the community was dealing with the loss in their town. One of those victims was a 4-month-old, according to Hughes County Emergency Management.Colten Madewell, a resident of Holdenville, showed the destruction that the tornado left behind. He stood in front of the rubble that used to be a home."Oh, it’s devastating. I couldn’t imagine something like that happening to me, let alone anybody else," Madewell said.Another resident, who did not want to be named, said the storm was a scary moment for his family."We was in the cellar. My brother, he called me. He was in his house, and he said it was just shaking and everything else," the resident said. "My brother lives down there another mile, and I’m trying to get to him. Think it blown down his tractor, shed and a house just down from there. I think it blown it plum away."After the tornado hit the town, one person was confirmed dead. A search then began for an infant. After many hours, the death count rose to two."The baby was found, and it was a fatality," Hughes County Emergency Manager Mike Dockrey said.Officials were surveying all the damage throughout the community as they work to rebuild."I’ve seen some houses that are destroyed. I’ve seen some roofs gone," Dockrey said.One worker, who is trying to restore cell service, said his biggest obstacle has been downed powerlines."We can’t hardly get anywhere in there and then trying to avoid being stuck in it. I got stuck over here in the mud," Russell Ross, a broadband provider said.With this level of destruction, residents said they are working hard to get to their relatives and friends to see how they can help."The community just requests prayers," Dockrey said.Top Headlines:Oklahoma Tornadoes: At least 4 dead across the stateOfficials give update on tornado that caused damage to SulphurWATCH: Sky 5 surveys tornado damage in SulphurGov. Stitt issues state of emergency for 12 Oklahoma countiesOklahoma storms cause car to go into OKC metro homeWATCH: Sky 5 shows damage to Holdenville after deadly tornado
HOLDENVILLE, Okla. — An hourslong search ended in heartbreak as two people were confirmed dead after a tornado tore through Holdenville.
| MORE | Oklahoma Tornadoes: At least 4 dead, 100 injured across the state
On Sunday, the community was dealing with the loss in their town. One of those victims was a 4-month-old, according to Hughes County Emergency Management.
Colten Madewell, a resident of Holdenville, showed the destruction that the tornado left behind. He stood in front of the rubble that used to be a home.
"Oh, it’s devastating. I couldn’t imagine something like that happening to me, let alone anybody else," Madewell said.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said the storm was a scary moment for his family.
"We was in the cellar. My brother, he called me. He was in his house, and he said it was just shaking and everything else," the resident said. "My brother lives down there another mile, and I’m trying to get to him. Think it blown down his tractor, shed and a house just down from there. I think it blown it plum away."
After the tornado hit the town, one person was confirmed dead. A search then began for an infant. After many hours, the death count rose to two.
"The baby was found, and it was a fatality," Hughes County Emergency Manager Mike Dockrey said.
Officials were surveying all the damage throughout the community as they work to rebuild.
"I’ve seen some houses that are destroyed. I’ve seen some roofs gone," Dockrey said.
One worker, who is trying to restore cell service, said his biggest obstacle has been downed powerlines.
"We can’t hardly get anywhere in there and then trying to avoid being stuck in it. I got stuck over here in the mud," Russell Ross, a broadband provider said.
With this level of destruction, residents said they are working hard to get to their relatives and friends to see how they can help.
"The community just requests prayers," Dockrey said.
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