Three students of meteorology from the University of Oklahoma, traveling from a storm chase in Kansas, died in a crash on Friday night.
Nicholas Nair, 20, of Denton, Texas; Gavin Short, 19, of Gracelake, Illinois; and 22-year-old Drake Brooks of Evansville, Indiana, died in the crash shortly before 11:30 p.m. on Friday, according to a report by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Students were chasing a tornado that swept through parts of Kansas, destroying or damaging hundreds of homes and buildings, injuring several people and leaving more than 15,000 without electricity, officials said Saturday.
The three were in a vehicle driven south by Nair on Interstate 35 when the vehicle was hydroplaned and hit by a tractor-trailer in Tonkawa, about 85 miles north of Oklahoma City, the report said.
Athletics and meteorology are inseparable, our friends in this field let us know not only when it’s a good day to play, but more importantly when it’s safe.
My prayers are with the families of Nicholas Nair, Gavin Short, Drake Brooks and the entire @UofOklahoma community đđŸđ pic.twitter.com/6HYUXhaLxS
– Coach Christie, DNP @ (@SnapMyAd) May 1, 2022
A statement issued by OU said: “The university was devastated when it learned of the tragic deaths of three students. Each of them was valued and loved by members of our community. â
Authorities say more than 1,000 buildings were affected when a major blow struck Andover on Friday night. On Saturday, emergency crews found a wider path of destruction than previously estimated.
“We now know that our path of damage stretched approximately 3 1/2 to 4 miles north of where we thought it ended last night,” Andover Deputy Chief of Fire Mike Roosevelt told a briefing.
No deaths or critical injuries from the tornado itself were reported, despite widespread destruction. Authorities said only a few people were reported injured. In Sedgwick County, three people were injured, including a woman who was seriously injured.
Search and rescue operations continued on Saturday with more than 200 emergency workers from 30 agencies. Officials kept the volunteers away from the damage until a secondary search for the wreckage was carried out.
The three were in a vehicle driven south by Nair on Interstate 35 when the vehicle was hydroplaned and hit by a tractor-trailer in Tonkawa, FOX 8 WGHP. More than 1,000 buildings were affected when a heavy blow passed through Andover on Friday night, according to AP authorities
Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said earlier that some neighborhood homes “were completely blown up.”
There are homes completely demolished and entire neighborhoods obliterated, Russell said.
City Hall, YMCA Andover and Prairie Creek Elementary School were among the buildings badly damaged.
Field teams from the National Weather Service worked Saturday to determine the extent and strength of the twister, said meteorologist Kevin Darmofal at the Wichita office.
Flor and Aldo Delgado said they prayed in the basement of their home in Andover as a tornado swept over them, destroying their homes and cars.
The couple looked out the window on Friday night and saw the tornado begin to form, so they headed for the basement.
“The lights started flashing and eventually went out, and within a minute the whole house was shaking and it was so loud. We began to feel water hitting our faces and there was dust everywhere. It lasted a minute when he was right above us, “said Aldo Delgado.
Wichita firefighters search what is left of John’s Wildlife on April 30, 2022 in Andover, Kansas. AP Firefighters search a home in Andover, Kansas after a tornado ripped the area just east of Wichita on April 29, 2022. AP
Flor Delgado said he could hear their home being torn down as they prayed for their safety, the Wichita Eagle reported.
“It simply came to our notice then. I knew my husband felt it too, because he was calm and comforting, but at one point he just started to lose it and cry. “I could hear his voice praying as he prayed,” she said.
After the tornado passed, the couple escaped the wreckage with only their clothes on their backs. Their home, cars and personal belongings are gone.
“We didn’t even have wedding rings at the time,” added Flor Delgado.
Governor Laura Kelly has declared a state of emergency in disasters for the worst-affected areas. The declaration provides state resources to assist local jurisdictions in their response and recovery efforts in the affected areas throughout the state.
Aerial view of a home destroyed by a tornado near Andover, Kansas on Saturday, April 30, 2022. AP
Everghi said about 15,000 customers lost electricity during the tornado and that work to restore electricity continues. All broken gas and water pipelines were shut down and there were no known active leaks until noon.
In addition to the tornado, heavy hail was reported in several plains cities. A softball-sized hailstorm has been spotted near Holbrook, Nebraska and Enterprise, Kansas, according to the National Weather Service and storm watchers.
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