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Over the past couple of weeks, the weather that has pummeled the Great Plains region of the US has been nothing short of apocalyptic. Within the past month alone, there have been multiple massive tornado outbreaks that have sent twisters spinning across Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, and other parts of the region. These tornadoes have wrought widespread destruction across the region and, sadly, claimed several lives in their wake.
On May 6, guests at a Hampton Inn in Oklahoma experienced a near-brush with death themselves after an enormous tornado slammed their hotel. One eyewitness, a college student, had his camera rolling at the time, and caught the terrifying moment that the tornado ripped through the hotel. His video is chilling:
The video, shared on TikTok by @6abcactionnews , showed both the terrifying impact of the tornado hitting the Hampton Inn and the devastating destruction it left in its wake. In quick succession, the lights flickered off, the sound of a tornado hitting can be heard, and the video devolved into chaos as the hotel guests ran for any cover they could find.
Related: Nebraska Brothers Speak out After Being ‘Lifted’ by a Tornado
According to The Oklahoman , the tornado that hit the Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Hampton Inn was "at the least a low-end EF4 ." To put that into perspective, the EF (Enhanced Fujita) Scale used by the NWS only goes up to EF5. At minimum, wind speeds would have to be moving at at least 166 mph to hit a low EF4. This was a monster twister !
Thankfully, despite being in the direct path of the enormous tornado, the hotel guests emerged mostly unscathed. According to FOX Weather , many of the guests sheltered in windowless interior rooms as the twister passed through. Though the piles of debris seen on video initially trapped some guests on the second floor, first responders soon arrived and safely evacuated everyone. No major injuries were reported among the Hampton guests.
Tragedy in Oklahoma and a Call to Action
Unfortunately, not everyone in the region made it through Monday's storm unscathed. CBS News reported that at least one person was killed in Barnsdall, a small town close to Bartlesville. Another Barnsdall resident was reported missing, and a search and rescue effort was launched yesterday morning. At this time, the missing man has not yet been accounted for.
According to KJRH 2 News Oklahoma , the missing man is named Kenneth Wayne Hogue , and officials in Osage County are reaching out to the public for help. If you have any information that could help them find Mr. Hogue, Osage County officials ask that you call OCSO at 918-287-3131. Locals are also trying to recruit volunteers for another search and rescue mission after the first attempt concludes today. If you're in the area and want to help out, KJRH advises you to check in at the Barnsdall Fire Station. Our thoughts are with the people of Barnsdall, Oklahoma, as they work hard to try and prevent another tragedy, even as they recover from the aftermath of this deadly storm .
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