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Okla. gov. declares state of emergency

Posted at 6:43 PM, May 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-10 18:43:49-04

Several parts of the South are continuing to experience severe weather into Tuesday evening.

A tornado hit Benton, Kentucky, at 3:22 p.m., causing damage to homes and sending debris through the air, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS called the weather event a "particularly dangerous situation" and placed a tornado warning into effect until 3:30 p.m. CDT for Northeastern Graves County and Northwestern Calloway County. In an alert, it informed citizens that there were in a "life-threatening situation" and advised them to "Take cover now!"

The tornado watch was upgraded to a tornado warning due to the potential for a few more tornadoes from Evansville, Indiana, Paducah and Bowling Green in Kentucky and Nashville.

At least eight people sustained non-life-threatening injures in the tornado, according to Kentucky State Police. The city of Mayfield sustained "fairly serious" structural damage to homes and businesses, police said.

Mayfield Mayor Teresa Rochetti-Cantrell told ABC News that several homes just north of the city limits are "totally leveled" and that a trailer park in the same area was "hit hard."

A lot of "what used to be there isn't there anymore," Rochetti-Cantrell said.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch will be in effect until 8 p.m. from Bowling Green to Louisville, where residents can expect damaging winds and large hail in the area.

Videos posted to social media show severe rain, flooding, hail storms and fully-formed funnel clouds in Kentucky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wheat Grass Juice Bar in Owensboro announced on Instagram that it would be closing at 4 p.m. due to the inclement weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tornado could inflict considerable damage to homes, businesses and cars, according to the NWS, with the possibility of "complete destruction."

A large part of Central Texas will be under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch and could experience hail up to the size of a baseball. The state could also see strong winds or a brief tornado, but the threat is low.

In Cincinnati, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch will be in effect until 8 p.m., with the looming threat of damaging winds and large hail. A brief tornado or two could also hit the area.

This afternoon, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency in 15 counties due to tornadoes, severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding since Sunday.

 

 

One person died in Garvin County and another in Johnston County due to the storm. There were "multiple injuries," according to Fallin.