Sulphur residents recount stories of survival as cleanup begins

The National Weather Service confirmed on Monday that 25 tornadoes touched down across Oklahoma on Saturday, part of a severe outbreak that caused extensive damage across parts of Texas and the Midwest.

Among the communities hardest hit is Sulphur, a town with a population of 5,000 residents. Late Saturday, an EF-3 tornado tore through the town’s historic downtown area and several blocks of a nearby neighborhood.

Homes were either flattened or had their roofs stripped off, leaving some with only two walls standing. Residents like Roshelle Sisneros are left sifting through debris, grateful for survival but facing immense loss.

Sisneros recounted how she had sought shelter for her teenage children in a neighbor’s storm cellar, but as the storm approached, it became too dangerous to evacuate. They huddled in the bathroom as the tornado hit, miraculously emerging unharmed despite the destruction around them.

At a press conference, officials confirmed one fatality in Sulphur, a longtime resident, while noting that everyone else was accounted for. The focus remains on addressing structural damage and ensuring aid reaches those in need, with local officials already coordinating with FEMA for financial assistance.

As Sisneros and others begin the daunting task of rebuilding, they are buoyed by the support of volunteers who have arrived to lend a hand in the midst of chaos.