'Unusual' August Tornado Tears Through Oklahoma, Injures Dozens

An “unusual” late summer tornado tore through Tulsa, Oklahoma, early Sunday, injuring dozens of people and destroying swathes of a midtown shopping district.

The National Weather Service rated the tornado as an EF2, with wind speeds of up to 135 miles per hour. About 30 people were treated at a local hospital for injuries sustained during the storm, The Associated Press reported. Two people suffered “life-threatening injuries.”

Photos and video captured in the aftermath of the twister showed damaged buildings, debris-strewn roads and downed power lines. According to Fox 23, one homeowner woke up on Sunday morning to find a branch piercing through his ceiling.

Power was reportedly knocked out for more than 17,000 city residents.

Weather service meteorologist Amy Jankowski told the AP that tornadoes in August are “uncommon,” with most occurring in the spring months.

Still, she stressed that tornadoes can strike at any time.