BARNSDALL, Okla. — It's been 2 years since an EF-4 tornado tore through Barnsdall.
Two people died, and the storm destroyed dozens of homes in a matter of minutes on May 6, 2024.
Local News
'It was awful': Barnsdall reflects on deadly EF-4 tornado 1 year later
The scars from that night are still visible throughout the community, but so is the resilience of its residents. 2 News spoke with people in Barnsdall about the long road to recovery.
For one Barnsdall family, the tornado's impact is beyond property damage.
A husband and wife got separated for days after the storm hit, when he was out of town. Road closures kept them separated for days — an agonizing stretch of time that still haunts them.
Kevin Harrison, owner of Tall Grass Café, said the debris is gone, but there is still work to be done.
"A lot of them still trying to build their lives back and even young people trying to build their lives back, so it's sad. I mean, you'll see some of the people go back down to their property and just kind of walk around. I know they're reminiscing and stuff like that, and then there's been several people that had mental health issues just from the devastation and loss," Harrison said.
Local News
'Everybody has worked so hard': Barnsdall 6 months later
The recovery effort continues.
Emergency management met with city leaders to check on the rebuilding progress in early May.
Mayor Johnny Kelley said they are not just rebuilding — they are preparing. Because in Tornado Alley, he said, the question is not if another storm will come. It is when.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- 2 News Oklahoma on your schedule | Download on your TV, watch for free. How to watch on your streaming device
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
