Okla. residents tell Ch. 2 survival stories

MOORE, Okla. — An EF-5 tornado tore apart Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, killing dozens and injuring hundreds of others.

Severe Weather Team 2 meteorologist David Chandley traveled to Moore, Okla., to survey the damage Tuesday. Rows of neighborhoods were leveled by the storm. Survivors wandered the streets searching for what's left of their belongings. Chandley was barred from entering some of the most devastated areas as search and recovery efforts continue.

"It's still like it's something that happened somewhere else, but it's happened here," survivor Al Buggs said.

He rode out the tornado in his bathtub. His home has major damage, but he's thankful for his life. The state medical examiner's office confirmed 24 dead.

"I just thank God that he took care of me, but there's a lot of people that lost lives here and all the children at the school and it's just a terrible thing and just, people are devastated," Buggs said.

Seven of the dead were children. The storm hit two elementary schools during the school day.

One woman said she rode out at the storm at work, then rushed home to see what was left.

"There's damage but it's still standing and I grabbed clothes really fast.  I had to walk about two miles to get to my apartment," Megan Harris said.

Throughout the city, emergency workers and search dogs are going through the painstaking process of searching building by building, making sure there are no victims in the rubble. And they have plenty of work ahead.

Chandley will spend the next several days in Oklahoma and will have the latest developments from the area on Channel 2 Action News throughout the week.

WSBTV