At least 11 injured after tornadoes and thunderstorms tear through Oklahoma

Video credit: Koco

Severe storms and tornadoes have battered Oklahoma, ripping roofs off buildings and leaving tens of thousands of homes and businesses without power.

Numerous people were injured in the storms and 11 people needed hospitalisation, authorities said.

Residents have been warned to brace for more heavy rain and possible severe weather on Monday.

Much of the damage was reported in and around the state capital of Oklahoma City. Heavy rains caused flash flooding in some areas and a house fire started by lightening was reported.

More than 99,000 Oklahoma homes and businesses lost power during the overnight storms. By late Sunday afternoon, that number reduced to around 24,000.

Local television footage showed downed power lines, walls peeled off homes, overturned vehicles and streets littered with debris. Credit: Sean Taylor/AP

Richard Thompson, forecast chief for the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Centre in Oklahoma, said he believes six or more tornadoes hit the state overnight.

Describing the moment a possible tornado struck his father's home, Justin Cue told CNN: “Debris started hitting the house, and after a few seconds my window blew out and then all you could hear was the roar of the wind and the ripping wood and glass shattering."

Cue’s father was also injured when the roof collapsed on him. “He was unconscious for a brief time and we weren’t sure he was OK,” Cue said.

When they were able to get out of the house around 1.30am, Cue said neighbours were shouting and helping get people out of the rubble until emergency services arrived.

Chad Allcox, the mayor of Choctaw - a town east of Oklahoma City - told the Associated Press the storms "levelled a complete neighbourhood."

The scale of the damage came into focus in the early hours of Sunday morning. Local television footage showed downed power lines, walls peeled off homes, overturned vehicles and neighbourhood streets littered with debris.

Oklahoma City Fire Department spokesman Scott Douglas said 11 people were transported to hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening.

"There were some other minor injuries, some walking wounded, that were going to get treatment on their own,” he said.

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