Tornado rips through Enid, Oklahoma, damaging homes and closing Air Force base

A tornado that cut across Enid on Thursday ripped roofs from buildings, destroyed homes, knocked down power poles and forced Vance Air Force Base to close, turning one storm into a test of both neighborhood recovery and military readiness in north-central Oklahoma.

The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado moved across parts of Enid, a city of about 50,000 people in Garfield County near the state’s northern border. Hours after it passed, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said there were no immediate reports of fatalities and only minor injuries. In some neighborhoods, authorities went door-to-door to check on residents after early reports of people trapped in homes and widespread destruction, Enid Police Department spokesperson Cass Rains said. The Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management said some homes were destroyed.

The damage quickly reached beyond residential blocks. Vance Air Force Base, about 80 miles north of Oklahoma City, said early Friday that it was closed until further notice because of ongoing power and water restoration efforts. Only mission-essential personnel needed for critical operations and restoration of base utilities were told to report for duty, and the base said accountability procedures were underway to make sure all personnel were safe and accounted for.

Gov. Kevin Stitt asked the public to keep the community in mind after the storm. “Please join me in praying for the Enid community, which has been severely impacted by tonight’s tornado,” he posted. Emergency crews remained in hard-hit neighborhoods, and later storm coverage reported roads shut down across the Enid area as workers assessed damage and cleared debris.

The Enid tornado was part of a broader outbreak across northern Oklahoma, where multiple tornadoes were confirmed on Thursday. Another tornado was reported near Braman around 7:30 p.m. on April 23, underscoring how quickly severe weather spread across the region. Oklahoma’s long tornado record, with thousands of twisters tracked since 1950, has made scenes like Enid’s familiar in a state where one storm can overwhelm homes, utilities and even a military installation at the same time.