At least 6 people injured after thunderstorms that spawned tornadoes left a trail of destruction in parts of Oklahoma

By Paradise Afshar, Chris Boyette and Lauren Mascareñas, CNN

(CNN) — At least six people were injured after severe thunderstorms swept through parts of Oklahoma early Sunday, with tornadoes and flooding reported, authorities said.

Six of the injured were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, said Valerie Littlejohn, public information officer for the Oklahoma City Police Department.

Several structures were also damaged in the area, along with power lines, trees, gas lines, traffic lights and road signs, she said.

Video of damage from CNN affiliate KOCO shows overturned cars and crushed whole houses. The storms toppled telephone poles and snapped trees in half. Debris is scattered around the affected areas, including large pieces of wood and metal from buildings that have been torn apart.

About 95,000 customers in Oklahoma were without power Sunday morning, according to the poweroutage.us.

A tornado was reported east of Oklahoma City, and a tornado and thunderstorm warning is in effect for the Oklahoma City area. National Weather Service said

“Don’t relax folks – we’re already starting to see the atmosphere begin to recover ahead of another round of thunderstorms, heavy rain, flooding and possible severe weather today,” the weather service said. post on X.

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said he was watching for severe weather.

Flooding on Interstate 35 closed all but one of the northbound lanes near Forest Park in the Oklahoma City area. Oklahoma Department of Transportation said

According to Public Information Officer Scott Douglas, the Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to several vehicles that were flooded due to the heavy rain.

Around 1:20 am local time the weather service forewarned a severe tornado was moving across eastern Oklahoma City toward Midwest City and Tinker AFB. Tornado warnings were issued for more than 300,000 people in Moore, Midwest City and Del City.

The University of Oklahoma told students and staff at its Norman campus: “Take shelter in the building you are in NOW. Go downstairs/inside.”

Nocturnal tornadoes are more than twice as deadly as daytime tornadoes, research shows. Nocturnal tornadoes are difficult to see in the dark, and those who are sleeping may not know that danger is near.

THERE ARE increased anxiety because of the threat of tornadoes this week, given how prolific the year has been for twisters in the US. The number of tornadoes reported this year is the second highest on record, trailing only 2,156 in 2011.

Severe thunderstorms are most common in the spring and summer, but a second surge of dangerous storms and tornadoes occurs in the fall and winter, as cold air from the north often collides with warmer, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.

CNN’s Mike Madrigal contributed to this report.