Oklahoma tornado: Latest developments in this disaster

CNN Staff
Updated 6:44 AM EDT, Wed May 22, 2013

Story highlights

At its strongest, the tornado was an EF5, the National Weather Service says

At least 24 dead, more than 100 people rescued after tornado hit, officials say

Insurance claims will likely top $1 billion, state insurance official says

The mayor says "we (have) gone from rescue and searching to recovery"

For local coverage of Monday’s devastating storms in Oklahoma, go to these CNN affiliates: KFOR, KOCO, KOKH, KOKI

(CNN) —  

At least 24 people – including nine children – were killed when a massive tornado struck an area outside Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon, officials said.

Read more: Heartbreaking scenes in Oklahoma City after disaster

At least seven of those children were killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma, police said. Emergency personnel on Tuesday continued to scour the school’s rubble – a scene of twisted I-beams and crumbled cinder blocks.

Ja
Ja'Nae Hornsby, 9, is among the children killed at the school, her father says.
PHOTO: Courtesy Hornsby Family

The tornado was 1.3 miles wide as it moved through Moore, in the southern part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, the National Weather Service said. The estimated peak wind ranged from 200 to 210 mph – which would make it an EF5, the most powerful category of tornadoes possible – according to the agency.

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Latest update:

– About 2,400 homes were damaged in the Oklahoma cities of Moore and Oklahoma City, said Jerry Lojka of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. Some 10,000 people were directly impacted by the tornado, he said.

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A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. View more photos of the aftermath in the region and another gallery of aerial shots of the damage.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. View more photos of the aftermath in the region and another gallery of aerial shots of the damage.
PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Left to right, Jaqi Castro, Angelica Morris-Smith and Cetoria Petties walk through a tornado ravaged neighborhood handing out supplies to residents and fellow volunteers on May 27.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Left to right, Jaqi Castro, Angelica Morris-Smith and Cetoria Petties walk through a tornado ravaged neighborhood handing out supplies to residents and fellow volunteers on May 27.
PHOTO: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Residents gather in the First Baptist Church for the Oklahoma Strong memorial service on Sunday, May 26, to honor victims of the recent deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Residents gather in the First Baptist Church for the Oklahoma Strong memorial service on Sunday, May 26, to honor victims of the recent deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.
PHOTO: Sue Ogrocki/Getty Images
Preschooler Keltin Marazzi, front center, stands on stage with other school children during the memorial service.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Preschooler Keltin Marazzi, front center, stands on stage with other school children during the memorial service.
PHOTO: Pool/Getty Images
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin addresses the audience on May 26.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin addresses the audience on May 26.
PHOTO: Sue Ogrocki/Getty Images
Tornado victims Christa and Russell Smith hug their children, Evan and Justin Smith, as the service takes place.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Tornado victims Christa and Russell Smith hug their children, Evan and Justin Smith, as the service takes place.
PHOTO: Sue Ogrocki/Getty Images
Plaza Towers Elementary School teacher Jennifer Doan is comforted by her fiance, Nyle Rogers, on May 26.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Plaza Towers Elementary School teacher Jennifer Doan is comforted by her fiance, Nyle Rogers, on May 26.
PHOTO: Sue Ogrocki/Getty Images
President Barack Obama is greeted as he tours the tornado-ravaged area near Moore, Oklahoma, on Sunday, May 26.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
President Barack Obama is greeted as he tours the tornado-ravaged area near Moore, Oklahoma, on Sunday, May 26.
PHOTO: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
Volunteers bow their heads in reverence on Saturday, May 25, in front of a memorial at the Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children died during the devastating tornado, in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Volunteers bow their heads in reverence on Saturday, May 25, in front of a memorial at the Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children died during the devastating tornado, in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Mike Hitch prepares to pull a classic Corvette from under the debris of a home destroyed by Monday
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Mike Hitch prepares to pull a classic Corvette from under the debris of a home destroyed by Monday's tornado on May 25.
PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Mike Hitch loads a salvaged Corvette pulled from the rubble onto a tow truck in Moore on May 25.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Mike Hitch loads a salvaged Corvette pulled from the rubble onto a tow truck in Moore on May 25.
PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Eunice Lassiter sits in the driveway of a friend
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Eunice Lassiter sits in the driveway of a friend's tornado-damaged home on May 25 in Moore.
PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty Images
A volunteer signs a cross on May 25 at a makeshift memorial outside of the destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children were killed in Monday
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A volunteer signs a cross on May 25 at a makeshift memorial outside of the destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children were killed in Monday's tornado in Moore.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Volunteers unload donated items for tornado victims at the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Volunteers unload donated items for tornado victims at the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
PHOTO: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Volunteer Brittany Pendergraft organizes donated tornado relief items inside the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Volunteer Brittany Pendergraft organizes donated tornado relief items inside the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
PHOTO: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Eddie Jones of the Christian Life Center in Rolla, Missouri, cooks for residents and volunteers helping with tornado relief on May 25 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Eddie Jones of the Christian Life Center in Rolla, Missouri, cooks for residents and volunteers helping with tornado relief on May 25 in Moore.
PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Carol Kawaykla holds a picture of her mother she found in the rubble of her tornado-devastated home in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 24.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Carol Kawaykla holds a picture of her mother she found in the rubble of her tornado-devastated home in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 24.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
The sun sets over debris from houses littering the ground in Moore, Oklahoma, on Thursday, May 23, three days after the town was damaged by a tornado.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
The sun sets over debris from houses littering the ground in Moore, Oklahoma, on Thursday, May 23, three days after the town was damaged by a tornado.
PHOTO: Joshua LOTT/AFP/Getty Images
Debris is scattered across a driveway on May 23. Severe thunderstorms barreled through this Oklahoma City suburb at dawn Thursday, complicating cleanup efforts.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Debris is scattered across a driveway on May 23. Severe thunderstorms barreled through this Oklahoma City suburb at dawn Thursday, complicating cleanup efforts.
PHOTO: Joshua LOTT/AFP/Getty Images
Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm as people search for items that can be saved from their devastated home on May 23.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm as people search for items that can be saved from their devastated home on May 23.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
A devastated neighborhood is seen on May 23 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A devastated neighborhood is seen on May 23 in Moore.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
A woman searches for belongings at a home on May 22 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A woman searches for belongings at a home on May 22 in Moore.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Michael Pritz swings a golf club while taking a break from helping his friend to salvage belongings on May 22.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Michael Pritz swings a golf club while taking a break from helping his friend to salvage belongings on May 22.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Debris litters what remains of a classroom at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22. Seven children died at the school in Monday
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Debris litters what remains of a classroom at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22. Seven children died at the school in Monday's tornado.
PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty Images
A makeshift shelter stands next to a home destroyed by the tornado on May 22.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A makeshift shelter stands next to a home destroyed by the tornado on May 22.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Casey Angle walks on the bunk bed she shared with her sister Sydney, who was among the students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School during the tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Casey Angle walks on the bunk bed she shared with her sister Sydney, who was among the students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School during the tornado.
PHOTO: Joshua LOTT/AFP/Getty Images
Tara McDonald shows some items salvaged from her home on May 22.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Tara McDonald shows some items salvaged from her home on May 22.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
A swing set sits warped at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A swing set sits warped at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
PHOTO: Kyodo/Landov
Plaza Towers Elementary School students Monica Boyd and Lavontey Rodriguez sit at the parking lot of their tornado devastated school.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Plaza Towers Elementary School students Monica Boyd and Lavontey Rodriguez sit at the parking lot of their tornado devastated school.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Travis French and his wife, Amy, of Capitol Hill Baptist Church hand out fresh fruit, water and hygiene packs to Thomas and Kelcy Trowbridge.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Travis French and his wife, Amy, of Capitol Hill Baptist Church hand out fresh fruit, water and hygiene packs to Thomas and Kelcy Trowbridge.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Teachers from Fairview Elementary School help clean up former school counselor Kay Taylor
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Teachers from Fairview Elementary School help clean up former school counselor Kay Taylor's home in south Oklahoma City on May 22, two days after an extremely powerful tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma.
PHOTO: Nick Oxford for CNN
Jake English, 12, cleans up retired school counselor Kay Taylor
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Jake English, 12, cleans up retired school counselor Kay Taylor's home on May 22 in south Oklahoma City, just west of Moore. The storm was part of a tornado outbreak that began in the Midwest and Plains on Sunday, May 19.
PHOTO: Nick Oxford for CNN
A man talks on his cell phone in front of a destroyed house on May 22.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A man talks on his cell phone in front of a destroyed house on May 22.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
A man looks through a pile of clothing at a roadside relief camp on May 22 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A man looks through a pile of clothing at a roadside relief camp on May 22 in Moore.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Volunteers form a chain to retrieve clothing and other household items on May 22.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Volunteers form a chain to retrieve clothing and other household items on May 22.
PHOTO: RICK WILKING/reuters/LANDOV
Jon Booth moves a piece of debris from his mother
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Jon Booth moves a piece of debris from his mother's destroyed home across the street from Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
PHOTO: RICK WILKING/reuters/LANDOV
Matt Johnson salvages items from his grandparents
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Matt Johnson salvages items from his grandparents' home on Tuesday, May 21.
PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty Images
An aerial view of the destruction on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
An aerial view of the destruction on May 21.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Two men fold an American flag found in the debris of a house on May 21 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Two men fold an American flag found in the debris of a house on May 21 in Moore.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
A young girl stands among the rubble outside Briarwood Elementary School on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A young girl stands among the rubble outside Briarwood Elementary School on May 21.
PHOTO: TANNEN MAURY/EPA/LANDOV
A doll covered in dirt is among the rubble scattered throughout a neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A doll covered in dirt is among the rubble scattered throughout a neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Bonnie Lolofie, left, and Ashley Do carry belongings from their apartment, which has no power, on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Bonnie Lolofie, left, and Ashley Do carry belongings from their apartment, which has no power, on May 21.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Residents salvage belongings from their demolished homes in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Residents salvage belongings from their demolished homes in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Kelli Kannady weeps after finding a box of photographs of her late husband in the rubble near where her home once stood in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Kelli Kannady weeps after finding a box of photographs of her late husband in the rubble near where her home once stood in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: RICK WILKING/Reuters/LANDOV
Tufts of pink insulation hang from the rafters of a store in Moore on May 21 that was destroyed in the storm.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Tufts of pink insulation hang from the rafters of a store in Moore on May 21 that was destroyed in the storm.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Natalie Johnson searches through her mother
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Natalie Johnson searches through her mother's destroyed car outside Briarwood Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: TANNEN MAURY/EPA/LANDOV
Rescuers dig out a house in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Rescuers dig out a house in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: Marcus DiPaola/Xinhua/Landov
June Simson embraces her cat Sammi after she found him standing among the rubble of her destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
June Simson embraces her cat Sammi after she found him standing among the rubble of her destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: Joshua LOTT/AFP/Getty Images
A man stands on the roof of a destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A man stands on the roof of a destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: Joshua LOTT/AFP/Getty Images
A man helps move a resident
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A man helps move a resident's belongings from a destroyed home on May 21 in Moore.
PHOTO: Joshua LOTT/AFP/Getty Images
Air Force Airman First Class Justin Acord sifts through the rubble of his father-in-law
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Air Force Airman First Class Justin Acord sifts through the rubble of his father-in-law's home in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: TANNEN MAURY/EPA/LANDOV
People recover belongings from the rubble of a home in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
People recover belongings from the rubble of a home in Moore.
PHOTO: TANNEN MAURY/EPA/LANDOV
People sort through a leveled home in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
People sort through a leveled home in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: ED ZURGA/EPA/LANDOV
Debris lies among headstones in the Moore Cemetery on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Debris lies among headstones in the Moore Cemetery on May 21.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Workers clean up the Warren movie theater in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Workers clean up the Warren movie theater in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: Kelly Marshall Smoot/CNN
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett surveys damage in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett surveys damage in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: from city of oklahoma city
Piles of debris lie around the north side of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Piles of debris lie around the north side of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
As dawn breaks, storm clouds roll in over a devastated neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
As dawn breaks, storm clouds roll in over a devastated neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: ED ZURGA/EPA/LANDOV
Members of the Oklahoma National Guard look for survivors in rubble in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Members of the Oklahoma National Guard look for survivors in rubble in Moore on May 21.
PHOTO: KENDALL JAMES/epa/landov
A National Guardsman assists in the search for victims on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A National Guardsman assists in the search for victims on May 21.
PHOTO: SGT. KENDALL JAMES/oklahoma national guard/epa/landov
A rescue worker leads a horse from the wreckage of a day care center and barns on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A rescue worker leads a horse from the wreckage of a day care center and barns on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
PHOTO: Steve Sisney/The Oklahoman/AP Photo
Men tie an American flag on debris in a neighborhood off Telephone Road in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Men tie an American flag on debris in a neighborhood off Telephone Road in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman/AP Photo
Children wait for their parents to arrive at Briarwood Elementary School in south Oklahoma City on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Children wait for their parents to arrive at Briarwood Elementary School in south Oklahoma City on May 20.
PHOTO: Paul Hellstern/The Oklahoman/AP Photo
Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20.
PHOTO: Paul Hellstern/The Oklahoman/AP Photo
Teachers lead children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20. Read more about the photo.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Teachers lead children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20. Read more about the photo.
PHOTO: Paul Hellstern/The Oklahoman/AP
A fire official drives through the rubble of Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A fire official drives through the rubble of Moore Medical Center on May 20.
PHOTO: Gene Blevins/Reuters/Landov
Abby Madi, left, and Peterson Zatterlee comfort Zatterlee
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Abby Madi, left, and Peterson Zatterlee comfort Zatterlee's dog, Rippy, on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
PHOTO: Gene Blevins/Reuters/Landov
A woman is treated for her injuries on May 20 at a triage area set up for the wounded.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A woman is treated for her injuries on May 20 at a triage area set up for the wounded.
PHOTO: Gene Blevins/Reuters/Landov
Two girls stand in rubble in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Two girls stand in rubble in Moore.
PHOTO: Gene Blevins/Reuters/Landov
Rescue workers help free one of more than a dozen people who were trapped at a medical center in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Rescue workers help free one of more than a dozen people who were trapped at a medical center in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/Landov
Oklahoma City firefighters check on Gene Tripp on May 20 as he sits in his rocking chair where his home once stood.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Oklahoma City firefighters check on Gene Tripp on May 20 as he sits in his rocking chair where his home once stood.
PHOTO: Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman/AP
A nurse helps an older man who suffered a head injury on May 20 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A nurse helps an older man who suffered a head injury on May 20 in Moore.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
Cars marked with an orange X, meaning they have been checked for occupants, are piled up in front of the entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Cars marked with an orange X, meaning they have been checked for occupants, are piled up in front of the entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center on May 20.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Jim Routon hugs his neighbor, 7-year-old Hezekiah, after the tornado strikes on May 20. An earlier version of this caption incorrectly stated that Routon was Hezekiah
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Jim Routon hugs his neighbor, 7-year-old Hezekiah, after the tornado strikes on May 20. An earlier version of this caption incorrectly stated that Routon was Hezekiah's teacher. See an interview with the pair.
PHOTO: Paul Hellstern/The Oklahoman/AP
People look through the wreckage of their neighborhood after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
People look through the wreckage of their neighborhood after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
Dana Ulepich searches inside a room left standing at the back of her destroyed house in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Dana Ulepich searches inside a room left standing at the back of her destroyed house in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Residents look through the debris in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Residents look through the debris in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
A man looks through the remains of a home after the massive tornado struck Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A man looks through the remains of a home after the massive tornado struck Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
A woman is transported on a stretcher after she was rescued from the damaged medical center in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A woman is transported on a stretcher after she was rescued from the damaged medical center in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
A woman walks through debris in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A woman walks through debris in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
A man is taken away from the IMAX Theater in Moore that was used as a triage center on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A man is taken away from the IMAX Theater in Moore that was used as a triage center on May 20.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
A girl wraps herself in a blanket near the Moore Hospital on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A girl wraps herself in a blanket near the Moore Hospital on May 20.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
A nurse walks by the destruction at a Moore hospital on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A nurse walks by the destruction at a Moore hospital on May 20.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
Destroyed cars scatter the landscape in Moore, Oklahoma, where hundreds of homes and buildings were put to ruin on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Destroyed cars scatter the landscape in Moore, Oklahoma, where hundreds of homes and buildings were put to ruin on May 20.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
A woman with an arm injury is helped on May 20 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A woman with an arm injury is helped on May 20 in Moore.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
Extensive damage from the tornado destroyed cars and demolished structures in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Extensive damage from the tornado destroyed cars and demolished structures in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
Onlookers stop to view a portion of the destruction left behind on May 20 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Onlookers stop to view a portion of the destruction left behind on May 20 in Moore.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
Overturned cars are among the rubble from the tornado that hit Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Overturned cars are among the rubble from the tornado that hit Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
A woman is comforted after the May 20 tornado in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A woman is comforted after the May 20 tornado in Moore.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/LANDOV
A shredded tree stands amid debris in the aftermath of the storm in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A shredded tree stands amid debris in the aftermath of the storm in Moore on May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
A shopping center parking lot is covered with debris and damaged cars on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A shopping center parking lot is covered with debris and damaged cars on May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
Law enforcement officers block a roadway in Moore where there was extensive damage from the tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
Law enforcement officers block a roadway in Moore where there was extensive damage from the tornado.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
A massive tornado approaches Moore on May 20. The storm first touched down to the west of the city near Newcastle, Oklahoma. Visit CNN.com/impact for ways to help the victims.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area —  
A massive tornado approaches Moore on May 20. The storm first touched down to the west of the city near Newcastle, Oklahoma. Visit CNN.com/impact for ways to help the victims.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov

Previously reported:

– Gov. Mary Fallin said the tornado was “one of (the) most horrific storms and disasters that this state has ever faced.” Oklahoma “will get through this. … We will overcome. We will rebuild. We will regain our strength,” she said.

– Officials are working on legislation for an emergency fund that would help the state’s recovery.

– Insurance claims will likely top $1 billion, Kelly Collins of the Oklahoma Insurance Commission told CNN. The cost would be higher than that from the May 3, 1999, tornado that hit the same area.

– Moore Fire Chief Gary Bird said searchers planned to search every affected structure and vehicle three times by Tuesday night.

An aerial view of the destruction caused by the massive tornado that struck areas south of Oklahoma City on Monday, May 20, shows the magnitude of damage left in its path. The storm
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
An aerial view of the destruction caused by the massive tornado that struck areas south of Oklahoma City on Monday, May 20, shows the magnitude of damage left in its path. The storm's winds topped 200 mph as it carved a 17-mile path of destruction through Oklahoma City suburbs. On Tuesday, May 21, CNN sent photographer David McNeese to capture the story from above:
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Officials from the National Weather Service gave the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20 a preliminary EF5 rating -- the highest score on the scale that measures tornado intensities.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
Officials from the National Weather Service gave the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20 a preliminary EF5 rating -- the highest score on the scale that measures tornado intensities.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
The tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburbs, hitting the town of Moore the hardest. It packed winds that topped 200 mph.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
The tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburbs, hitting the town of Moore the hardest. It packed winds that topped 200 mph.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
A search-and-rescue effort to find survivors shifted Tuesday to one of recovery, officials said.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
A search-and-rescue effort to find survivors shifted Tuesday to one of recovery, officials said.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
The devastation in Moore was so complete that the mayor said city officials were racing to print new street signs to help guide rescuers and residents through a suddenly twisted and unfamiliar landscape.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
The devastation in Moore was so complete that the mayor said city officials were racing to print new street signs to help guide rescuers and residents through a suddenly twisted and unfamiliar landscape.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
A group of homes was reduced to rubble.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
A group of homes was reduced to rubble.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Debris from homes and structures was strewn for miles around.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
Debris from homes and structures was strewn for miles around.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
In some areas, the homes of an entire street were destroyed.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
In some areas, the homes of an entire street were destroyed.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Rescuers and first responders immediately began searching through the rubble of structures on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
Rescuers and first responders immediately began searching through the rubble of structures on May 20.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Large trees were uprooted and flattened.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
Large trees were uprooted and flattened.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Given its breadth and power, the tornado ranks among some of the strongest storms ever to strike the United States, CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
Given its breadth and power, the tornado ranks among some of the strongest storms ever to strike the United States, CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Homes in some areas were relatively undamaged while others very nearby were destroyed.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
Homes in some areas were relatively undamaged while others very nearby were destroyed.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
Police, firefighters, volunteers and nearly 180 National Guard troops joined forces Tuesday in searching the rubble and securing areas hit by the storm.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
Police, firefighters, volunteers and nearly 180 National Guard troops joined forces Tuesday in searching the rubble and securing areas hit by the storm.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
In 1999 and then again in 2003, Moore took direct hits from tornadoes that took eerily similar paths to 2013
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
In 1999 and then again in 2003, Moore took direct hits from tornadoes that took eerily similar paths to 2013's twister. The 1999 storm packed the strongest wind speeds in history, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb said.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
A section of a bridge outside of Oklahoma City was blown off its foundation.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
A section of a bridge outside of Oklahoma City was blown off its foundation.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
The path of the tornado is clearly visible with dirt and debris painting a wide path across the Oklahoma landscape.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
The path of the tornado is clearly visible with dirt and debris painting a wide path across the Oklahoma landscape.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
The scene -- block after block of flattened homes and businesses, the gutted remains of a hospital and hits on two elementary schools -- left even seasoned veterans of Oklahoma
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
The scene -- block after block of flattened homes and businesses, the gutted remains of a hospital and hits on two elementary schools -- left even seasoned veterans of Oklahoma's infamous tornadoes reeling.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN
View more galleries: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area and The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above —  
View more galleries: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area and The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999.
PHOTO: David McNeese/Getty Images for CNN

A few hours later, Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis told CNN that he doesn’t expect the death toll will rise past 24, saying, “I think that will stand.”

“We feel like we have basically gone from rescue and searching to recovery,” Lewis said.

– Mick Cornett, Oklahoma City mayor, said full electric service should be restored to the Draper Water Treatment Plant on Tuesday. Customers should eventually notice normal water pressure, he said. The storm knocked out power to the plant and authorities put the facility on generator power.

– Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano will travel to Oklahoma on Wednesday to meet with state and local officials and “ensure that first responders are receiving the assistance they need in ongoing response and recovery efforts to the severe weather that impacted the region, ” DHS announced. Napolitano also will travel to Joplin for the second anniversary of the devastating tornado that struck that community.

– Kevin Durant, star of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, pledged $1 million through his family foundation to American Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Oklahoma, the Red Cross said Tuesday.

– The tornado tore through a 17-mile path, the National Weather Service said. The agency said survey crews indicated that the twister began 4.4 miles west of the city of Newcastle and ended 4.8 miles east of the city of Moore.

– At least 237 people were injured, the state’s Office of Emergency Management said Tuesday, citing the Health Department.

– Oklahoma officials revised the death toll to 24, down from 51. Nine of the fatalities are children.

– One of those is Janae Hornsby, who was among those killed at Plaza Woods Elementary School, her father told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “She was the best kid anybody could have. She was Janae,” Joshua Hornsby said. “She was a ball of energy, a ball of love.”

– State Rep. Mark McBride, a Republican, said he and his family have endured tornadoes for decades but “this is the worst thing” he’s ever seen.

– President Barack Obama said he doesn’t yet know the “full extent” of the damage. “We don’t know both the human and economic losses that may have occurred,” he said Tuesday. “Oklahoma needs to get everything it needs right away” to recover, he said.

– New York’s governor expressed his sympathy for Oklahomans in the aftermath of the “horrific tornado.” “Here in New York we know firsthand the devastation and pain caused by natural disasters, and in difficult times like these we, more than ever, stand with our fellow Americans,” Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.

– The storm system behind Monday’s twister and several on Sunday is threatening a large swath of the United States on Tuesday, putting 53 million people at risk of severe weather. In the bull’s-eye Tuesday are parts of north-central Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, and northern Arkansas and Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service.

– Oklahoma first and foremost needs donations to rebuild, Fallin told CNN.

Rescuers search through rubble in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on Monday, May 20. A tornado outbreak hit in the Midwest and Plains on Sunday and Monday, the deadliest hitting Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Rescuers search through rubble in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on Monday, May 20. A tornado outbreak hit in the Midwest and Plains on Sunday and Monday, the deadliest hitting Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday.
PHOTO: XINHUA /LANDOV
Massive piles of debris cover the ground after a powerful tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20. View photos related to the Moore tornado.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Massive piles of debris cover the ground after a powerful tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20. View photos related to the Moore tornado.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
A deadly tornado destroys cars and demolishes structures in the town of Moore, near Oklahoma City, on Monday, May 20.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
A deadly tornado destroys cars and demolishes structures in the town of Moore, near Oklahoma City, on Monday, May 20.
PHOTO: Richard Rowe/Reuters/Landov
A volunteer helps clean up a mobile home on May 20 after it was overturned on a day earlier near Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
A volunteer helps clean up a mobile home on May 20 after it was overturned on a day earlier near Shawnee, Oklahoma.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Jean McAdams
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Jean McAdams' mobile home near Shawnee, Oklahoma, lies overturned on May 20.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin from the Oval Office on May 20. The president expressed his concern for those who have been affected by the severe weather.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin from the Oval Office on May 20. The president expressed his concern for those who have been affected by the severe weather.
PHOTO: Pete Souza/White House Photo
Tom and Ronda Clark get help with cleanup on May 20, after their property near Shawnee was damaged by a tornado on May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Tom and Ronda Clark get help with cleanup on May 20, after their property near Shawnee was damaged by a tornado on May 19.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images)
Lonnie Langston says his garage was swept off the concrete pad next to his house by a tornado near Shawnee.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Lonnie Langston says his garage was swept off the concrete pad next to his house by a tornado near Shawnee.
PHOTO: Brett Deering/Getty Images
Shawnee residents embrace on May 20 as they search through the remains of their home.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Shawnee residents embrace on May 20 as they search through the remains of their home.
PHOTO: BILL WAUGH/Reuters/LANDOV
A home in Shawnee sits in ruin after being hit by a tornado on Sunday, May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
A home in Shawnee sits in ruin after being hit by a tornado on Sunday, May 19.
PHOTO: MARCUS DIPAOLA/Xinhua /Landov
A twister stretches toward the ground near South Haven, Kansas, on May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
A twister stretches toward the ground near South Haven, Kansas, on May 19.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/Landov
Residents repair the roof of a neighbor
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Residents repair the roof of a neighbor's damaged house after a tree fell on it in Shawnee on May 19.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/Landov
A woman waits to be allowed back to her home after a tornado swept through Shawnee on May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
A woman waits to be allowed back to her home after a tornado swept through Shawnee on May 19.
PHOTO: BILL WAUGH/Reuters/Landov
Storm chaser and videographer Brad Mack records a tornado touchdown in South Haven, Kansas, on May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Storm chaser and videographer Brad Mack records a tornado touchdown in South Haven, Kansas, on May 19.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/Landov
A tractor-trailer lies on its side on Interstate 40 while another is broken open on the road below after falling from the overpass after a tornado strike near Highway 177 north of Shawnee on May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
A tractor-trailer lies on its side on Interstate 40 while another is broken open on the road below after falling from the overpass after a tornado strike near Highway 177 north of Shawnee on May 19.
PHOTO: BILL WAUGH/Reuters/Landov
A tornado touches down near Wichita, Kansas, on Sunday, May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
A tornado touches down near Wichita, Kansas, on Sunday, May 19.
PHOTO: Travis Heying/Wichita Eagle/MCT/landov
Debris from a mobile home park west of Shawnee litters the ground on May 19. An estimated 300 homes were damaged or destroyed across Oklahoma, Red Cross spokesman Ken Garcia said.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Debris from a mobile home park west of Shawnee litters the ground on May 19. An estimated 300 homes were damaged or destroyed across Oklahoma, Red Cross spokesman Ken Garcia said.
PHOTO: BILL WAUGH/Reuters/Landov
Lightning strikes in Clearwater, Kansas, on May 19.
Photos: Photos: Tornadoes strike Midwest
Tornadoes wreak havoc in Midwest —  
Lightning strikes in Clearwater, Kansas, on May 19.
PHOTO: GENE BLEVINS/Reuters/Landov

– About 34,000 customers remained without power Tuesday night after a powerful tornado slammed the Oklahoma City region

– Personnel have rescued 101 people from rubble, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management representative Terri Watkins said Tuesday morning. Watkins cited an Oklahoma Highway Patrol tally of rescues from all agencies.

– Some of the children killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, drowned in a basement area there, Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb told CNN on Tuesday morning. “My understanding, this school … Plaza Towers, they had a basement. Quite frankly, don’t mean to be graphic, but that’s why some of the children drowned, because they were in the basement area,” he said. Officials have said the storm killed at least seven children at the school.

– Obama signed a disaster declaration Monday night, a White House statement said. The declaration means federal emergency aid will supplement local recovery efforts.

– World leaders, including those in France, Germany, Pakistan and Spain, passed along their condolences. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II expressed her “deepest sympathies” to those affected and Pope Francis urged people to pray for families of those who’ve died, “especially those who lost young children.”

– The three high schools in the school district of Moore still will have graduation ceremonies on Saturday at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Superintendent Susan Pierce said Tuesday.

– Otherwise, though, the city’s public schools will be closed for the rest of the year, school district spokeswoman Anna Trowbridge tells CNN. The last day of school was supposed to be Thursday.

– The superintendent of schools in Joplin, Missouri – which was struck by a tornado in 2011 – is expected to fly to Oklahoma on Tuesday night, said Oklahoma education department spokeswoman Sherry Fair.

Joplin’s C.J. Huff is set to discuss the situation in Moore with the Oklahoma education chief Janet Baresi, on Wednesday.

– Country singer Toby Keith said his sister’s house was among those hit by Monday’s tornado. “She gets to keep her stuff, but her house is not livable,” Keith said.

While there’s no date, lineup or location set, Keith says he’s gotten “500 text messages from people all over the music world” asking about a potential benefit concert.

Tornado brings back terrible memories of 1999

Heartbreaking scenes in Oklahoma City area after twister

CNN’s Joe Sterling, Greg Botelho and AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report.