Residents of southwest Oklahoma City near SW 81st and S Country Club spent their Saturday morning helping clean up after a tornado tore through the area on Friday night. The powerful storm caused significant damage to homes, fences, and properties, but the community has come together to help those affected.
Immediate Aftermath: A Scene of Destruction
Duane Divelbiss, a local resident, didn’t hesitate to offer a helping hand to his neighbors across the street, who were the hardest hit by the storm. “All these fences were up. Every one of them,” Divelbiss recalled as he surveyed the damage on Saturday morning. The once-standing fences were now flattened, scattered across yards, a vivid reminder of the tornado’s destructive path.
Divelbiss described the terrifying sound of the tornado as it passed through. “We started getting ready and then I heard it. I says, ‘Honey, we gotta go now.’ It sounded like a freight train when it did go over last night,” he said. In the wake of the storm, neighbors were left in a state of shock and disbelief.
The Damage and Cleanup Efforts
Many homes in the area were affected, including one that sustained water damage inside the house. Ethan Owens from JOE Roofing and Home Repair explained that part of the cleanup included using dehumidifiers to remove water from the house, as there was a large hole in the roof. “We got to do water intrusion with dehumidifiers and everything to get it sucked out,” Owens said, pointing to a home behind him that had been severely damaged.
While the damage was extensive, many in the community were grateful that things were not worse. Divelbiss reflected, “Luckily, it wasn’t nothing big—tearing up houses and people getting injured. We’re lucky,” acknowledging how fortunate they were despite the destruction.
A Community That Cares
The tornado left behind physical damage, but the sense of community in Oklahoma City shone through. Jaxon Bolch, also with JOE Roofing and Home Repair, shared his thoughts and prayers for the homeowners affected by the storm. “It’s a very tragic thing—getting hit, especially if you’ve grown up in that house and made a lot of memories,” he said.
The recovery process will take time. Owens and Bolch both noted that it could take at least a month to repair the water damage to one of the homes in the area.
Reporting Damage
Residents who experienced damage from the storm are encouraged to report it to the state through damage.ok.gov for assistance. The community continues to work together as they rebuild and recover from the devastating storm.
