'Mile Wide' Tornado in Oklahoma Causes Mass Destruction

Tornadoes have made landfall in Oklahoma, causing extensive damage, with police in Bartlesville saying a tornado a "mile wide" had struck the local area, according to a post by TV meteorologist Collin Myers on social media platform X.

The city of Barnsdall, with a population of around 1,000, was particularly badly struck, the second time it has been hit by tornadoes in a month.

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Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden said that one person had died in Barnsdall on Monday, Tulsa TV station KOTV reported.

Newsweek has reached out to the sheriff's office for further information via email.

The National Weather Service described a "particularly dangerous situation" for parts of Oklahoma until 5 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, according to a social media post.

The rare warning is only issued when there is a risk of strong, long-lived violent tornadoes.

At least 15 tornadoes were reported to have touched down across the central U.S., at least seven of which struck Oklahoma, according to the Weather Service.

Photos posted on social media appeared to show damaged homes in Barnsdall, with debris and fallen trees seen scattered on the ground.

The National Weather Service in Tulsa had warned earlier on Monday that "a large and life-threatening tornado" was headed toward Barnsdall, with wind gusts of up to 70 mph.

About a third of the city was struck, damaging several buildings and leading to multiple people being hospitalized in about 20 ambulances, Jerry Roberts, the emergency management director in Osage County said according to The New York Times.

A nursing home in Barnsdall said it had taken a "direct hit" and asked for prayers in a social media post. They said no one had been injured, but that residents had to be relocated because of a gas leak.

Officials said on Tuesday that emergency crews were responding in the Barnsdall area, and asked people to stay off the roads to allow first responders to reach affected areas.

Parts of Oklahoma were reported to have been without power after several power lines were downed.

Storm warnings were still in effect in parts of the state, with a "squall line" of damaging thunderstorms expected to stretch from central Iowa to around Oklahoma City, the Washington Post said.

Several tornado watches were still in effect across other parts of the central U.S. early on Tuesday, including parts of Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa.

These tornadoes come just a week after several deadly tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma, leaving at least four people dead and injuring roughly 100.