At least 20 tornadoes ripped across Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas on Wednesday, damaging homes and causing flash floods.
In Oklahoma, a large tornado was seen tearing through western Norman at 6 p.m. local time. The National Weather Service described it as "a particular dangerous situation," according to NBC News.
All flights were cancelled Wednesday night at the Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma, and passengers were evacuated twice from the terminals through an underground pedestrian tunnel.
The capital of Oklahoma seemed to be the hardest hit, with power outages and many damaged homes in Bridge Creek, Blanchard and Amber. According to forecasters, another tornado might have been formed in the southern area of the city.
"We have damage reports, so we do strongly think there was a tornado on the south side of Oklahoma City," Michael Scotten of the National Weather Service told FOX News.
The hardest hit places were particularly difficult to reach. "There's debris just everywhere, and there's a lot of water on the roadways," an officer from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol told CNN.
The severe weather also caused flooding as the storms poured down up to six inches of water, causing the city officials to declare a flash flood emergency in Oklahoma City. This is the first time that such emergency was declared in the city. Residents were advised to stay home and avoid the dangerous conditions outside.
More storms may occur across the Plains later in the week according to the Storm Prediction Center. "People just really need to stay weather aware," said Jonathan Kurtz, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service. "Severe storms are possible across portions of the southern Plains almost daily through Saturday."
The Norman Regional Hospital sustained minor damages but remains fully operational under generator power.
Twelve people have been reported injured. According to Oklahoma Department of Emergency, there were no reports of fatalities caused by the storms.
