Buildings destroyed by deadly tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma

At least two individuals were killed by tornadoes that ripped through south-eastern Oklahoma and north-eastern Texas, prompting residents to survey the damage and begin recovery efforts.

After visiting the village of Idabel, the governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, reported that a 90-year-old man had been murdered.

About 36 miles north of Idabel, the man's death was discovered at his residence in the Pickens region of McCurtain County, according to the state's department of disaster management.

In a social media post, Morris County, Texas, Judge Doug Reeder revealed that one person was killed by a tornado in the county's far northeastern region.

A six-year-old daughter drowned and a 43-year-old father went missing after their vehicle was pushed by water off a bridge near Stilwell, some 135 miles north of Idabel, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

A spokeswoman stated that the drowning has not been formally attributed to the storm and will be investigated by the medical examiner.

Mr. Stitt issued a state of emergency for McCurtain County, where Idabel is located, and the neighboring Bryan, Choctaw, and LeFlore counties on Saturday afternoon.

The declaration is a prerequisite for receiving federal aid and funds and allows state agencies to make disaster-recovery-related purchases without bidding restrictions.

Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, stated that damage assessments and recovery activities are currently underway in the state's northeast, and he urged locals to report any damage to the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

Robert Darby, a meteorologist with the US National Weather Service in Tulsa, stated that the widespread storm generated roughly 4 inches of rainfall in the Stilwell region at the time.

Idabel, a rural community of around 7,000 people located at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, sustained considerable devastation.

According to Pastor Don Myer, Trinity Baptist Church in Idabel was preparing to erect a new building when a hurricane destroyed their sanctuary and the shell of the building next door.

Mr. Myer told the Associated Press that the congregation of 250 members was scheduled to vote following Sunday's service on whether or not to proceed with the building's final construction.

"However, we did not reach that. Mr. Myer, 67, stated, "We had one vote that trumped all of our votes." "We were on the point of doing that. We were that close together."

The top elected authority in Lamar County, where Powderly is located, Judge Brandon Bell, declared a disaster in that area. According to Judge Bell's declaration, at least two dozen people were hurt around the county.

Powderly is approximately 45 miles west of Idabel and approximately 120 miles north of Dallas, both of which are close to the Texas-Oklahoma state line.

On Friday night, the National Weather Service in Fort Worth reported three tornadoes in Lamar, Henderson, and Hopkins counties as a line of storms continued to move eastward and dump rain and intermittent hail on the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The office of the weather service in Shreveport, Louisiana, is now examining the damage in Oklahoma.

Bianca Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, stated that while spring is normally the peak season for severe weather, tornadoes can occur in October, November, December, and even January.

Ms. Garcia stated, "It is uncommon, but it does occur in our region."