Local
NWS Says Picher Storm Was EF-4

May 12, 2008, 1:15 pm

PICHER, Okla. (AP) The National Weather Service says the killer tornado that hit Picher Saturday and killed at least six people was an EF-4.

The rating is the second highest and weather service assessment teams say it was 1 mile wide at its widest point and had wind speeds of 165 to 175 miles per hour.

The damage extends for 74 miles with 29 miles in Oklahoma and 45 in Missouri where 15 more people were killed.

Meteorologist Mike Teague says four other tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma Saturday night including an EF-2 storm in Haywood with winds of up to 130 mph.

Another EF-2 twister hit south of Hartshorne with winds of up to 120 mph.

An EF-0 tornado was reported over Lake Eufaula and no rating had been assigned yet to a storm near Yanush in Latimer County.


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