Large tornado rips through Barnsdall, Oklahoma, causing massive damage, gas leaks and casualtiesA very large tornado hit Barnsdall, Oklahoma, at 21:40 local time on May 7 (02:40 UTC on May 8), causing widespread damage. The event resulted in at least one fatality, multiple injuries, and extensive structural damage, including to a nursing home.
The tornado hit Barsndall, Oklahoma at around 21:40 local time on May 7
About 30 – 40 homes and a nursing home were damaged/destroyed, approximately one-third of the town
One person was killed and multiple others were injured
Natural gas leaks were reported, leading to much of the town being evacuated
The destructive tornado with an estimated width of about 800 m (0.5 miles) ripped through the small town of Barnsdall (population about 1 000) in Oklahoma’s Osage County at 21:40 LT on Monday, May 7.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center (SPC) received multiple reports of structural damage and multiple chaser photos and videos of a tornado in and near Barnsdall.
According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, at least 30 to 40 homes in Barnsdall were damaged, or about one-third of the town. The Department of Health reported a nursing home was damaged and patients were being evacuated.
Emergency management officials in Osage County reported a natural gas leak and multiple road closures caused by debris from the tornado. Residents of Barnsdall shared updates on X, describing how large portions of the town were being evacuated as a precaution.
he tornado reached the city of Bartlesville (population ~40 000), located about 24 km (15 miles) NE of Barnsdall, by around 22:00 CDT. However, it appears it weakened as it passed the city.
This severe weather event was part of a broader series of storms that had been affecting the region since May 6, marked by intense wind and rain.
The Storm Prediction Center confirmed 17 tornado reports on that day, primarily from Oklahoma, but also from states such as Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, and Tennessee.