A tornado that made landfall near Spaulding on Saturday night has left a community grappling with loss and destruction. Hughes County officials reported one fatality and multiple injuries from the natural disaster. 84-year-old Jerry Davis was confirmed dead following the severe storm that swept through the region around 10:35 p.m., leading to the destruction of two homes and several smaller structures, as noted by News9.
The lethal path of the tornado tore through the intersection of North 369 Road and East 138 Road, where Davis’s residence was located. His wife, Nyoka, who was also in the home, sustained injuries and was transported to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, according to a statement obtained by KFOR. The niece of the couple, Vinita Clifton, relayed their personal loss, sharing that the family was torn apart after the event.
Further addressing the calamity, Hughes County Emergency Management has asked residents with damage in diverse parts of the county to come forward and report it. Multiple agencies including the Spaulding Fire Department, Hughes County Sheriff's Office, Holdenville Police Department, Hughes County EMS, Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and Atwood Fire Department responded to the emergency, showing a rapid collective effort to address the aftermath of the storm, as News9 highlighted.
Beyond the immediate wreckage, the community also faced flash flooding and road washouts due to the heavy rainfall accompanying the tornado, adding another layer to recovery challenges. The National Weather Service in Norman, which was on hand the following Sunday morning to assess the damage, is expected to release a tornado rating as the recovery efforts continue, indicating the strength of the tornado when it hit the homes and how the man was killed tragically during its passage. Residents who experienced damage are urged by authorities to reach out to emergency management to facilitate these efforts, advising them recounted by KFOR.
