ADA, Okla. (BP) — A second tornado to strike this town in as many months has residents thankful the destruction wasn’t worse, but nevertheless on edge.
The combination of tornadoes and straight-line winds, hail and rain left three dead. A woman and 12-year-old boy were found in floodwaters while another person died after a tornado struck near Spaulding, Okla. A total of 17 tornadoes were reported across Texas and Oklahoma on April 19.
There were unconfirmed rumors of injuries, First Baptist Pastor Brad Graves told Baptist Press (BP) today.
“There hadn’t been a tornado hit here in quite a while, and now we’ve had two,” said Graves, who was preaching on his fifth Sunday in Joplin, Mo., when a tornado leveled the town in 2011. “There’s always that fear that comes when alarms go off and winds start picking up.”
Phones began chirping at his house on Saturday around 10 p.m. The storm passed after about a half hour, with Graves finally getting to bed at 11:30 p.m.
The tornado that hit Ada was classified as an EF-1, with winds ranging from 86-110 mph. The March twister was also an EF-1.
Other than the buckets catching the roof leaks, things progressed as normal yesterday for Easter services until he started to preach. Almost on cue, the power went out just as Graves began his sermon.
“Today, we’re preaching from inside the tomb,” he ad libbed.
After around 30 seconds, the lights came back on. “He is risen,” Graves announced, with congregants responding, “He is risen, indeed.”
The sound system required a reboot and the lights flickered once or twice from then on, but that service and the second one experienced no further such interruptions.
Most of the damage in the surrounding areas has been to commercial properties and there are a lot of downed tree limbs. The churches and pastors work together well, he said, to address needs. Graves announced from the pulpit yesterday that if anyone needed help to please see a staff member.
A hotel in the area was completely destroyed, Graves told BP.
“I’ve received text messages from around the country” from friends checking in, said Graves. “We’re on top of ministering to the community.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE — Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.)
