DeSantis sends emergency teams to aid Oklahoma tornado recovery efforts

SULPHUR, Okla. – In the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma, Gov. Ron DeSantis instructed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to dispatch an incident management team to Sulphur and a specialized team to Oklahoma City.

The purpose of the deployment is to provide crucial assistance for the ongoing response and recovery operations.

“Florida stands with the people of Oklahoma as they navigate this tragic event,” DeSantis said.

Tornadoes reportedly claimed the lives of four individuals in Oklahoma on Sunday, including an infant, and caused widespread power outages affecting thousands.

As of Monday, the National Weather Service of Norman, Oklahoma reported the area had up to 25 confirmed tornadoes from Saturday.

The destructive outbreak of severe weather caused significant damage to buildings in a rural town’s core and resulted in injuries to at least 100 people throughout the state, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Hours after tornadoes struck late Saturday night, over 20,000 individuals remained without power. The devastation was profound in Sulphur, a community with approximately 5,000 residents, where a tornado severely damaged numerous downtown structures, overturned vehicles including cars and buses, and ripped roofs off homes across a 15-block area.

“You just can’t believe the destruction,” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said, according to AP News. “It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed.”