Tornadoes touched down in parts of northern Oklahoma on Thursday, with the town of Enid among the hardest-hit areas.
Homes were destroyed in the area after a tornado was on the ground for 40 minutes, but there were no serious injuries, according to News 9, which cited Mayor David Mason.
In what proves to be a rare occurrence, video of the storms was taken from above. Ben Levine shared footage on X taken as his flight passed above the storm:
Here’s another video I took of it. And to save me time…I also filmed this video and anyone can use this video with credit to me. pic.twitter.com/U0MdAqxDVZ
— Ben Levine (@BenLevine_) April 24, 2026
Vance Air Force Base announced it would remain closed until further notice after Thursday’s severe storm, stating that only mission-essential personnel should report to work.
“Due to ongoing power and water restoration efforts, Vance Air Force Base is closed until further notice. Only mission essential personnel required to support critical operations and restoration of base utilities should report for duty. All other personnel should remain at home and monitor official base communication channels for updates and reporting instructions,” read a statement posted on Facebook.
“Those impacted by the tornado can go to the Chisholm Trail Expo Center at 111 West Perdue Ave, Enid, OK for shelter and additional assistance,” the message continued. “The safety of our Airmen, families, and community remains our top priority. Additional guidance will be provided as conditions improve and normal operations resume.”
Garfield County Sheriff Cory Rink said that base officials told him no one was injured.
“We were told by someone from Vance Air Force Base that they’re all OK out there, but they’re assessing the damage out there, too,” Rink told WXII.
The sheriff said their office phone lines are down due to tornado damage and reported that the Gray Ridge neighborhood was one of the hardest-hit areas.
“I do know I’m hearing it’s heavily damaged. I have not personally seen it yet. We’re operating out of the command center here at the sheriff’s office right now. But I do know it’s heavily damaged right now. So we’ve got a lot of crews out there in that area,” Rink said.
The American Red Cross is reportedly assisting residents, with those impacted receiving emergency relief supplies, food, and access to health and financial services.
Here’s additional footage of the terrifying storm that was shared on X:
The situation has turned devastating. News 9 Storm Tracker Kyle Wilson was on the ground near Highway 81 as the tornado was happing and witnessed a car being thrown into the air like
Homes are being flattened like nothing and Vance Air Force Base has taken a direct hit with… pic.twitter.com/OGwg7uxrov
— ChaseWithHam (@Ham_BklynWx) April 24, 2026
#BREAKING: Watch as additional footage from earlier during the Tornado Emergency shows a violent tornado passing dangerously close to multiple people filming as it strikes near or at Vance Air Force Base in Enid Oklahoma. Dozens of reports indicate numerous buildings have been… pic.twitter.com/PzIvN80qSn
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) April 24, 2026
Officials report… pic.twitter.com/ghCYyRtaQd
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) April 24, 2026
Horrific video sent in by a viewer of the large tornado near Enid, Oklahoma earlier this evening. pic.twitter.com/QVbyHNRswP
— Max Velocity (@MaxVelocityWX) April 24, 2026
Footage from the destructive tornado in Enid, Oklahoma Thursday night April 23 #okwx photo credit Kurt Young pic.twitter.com/6eutAWh19c
— NewsChannel 8 | KTUL (@KTULNews) April 24, 2026
