As rescue teams continue searching through rubble Tuesday in the wake of a tornado that devastated Oklahoma City suburbs, the Oklahoma medical examiner's office has revised the death toll from the previous report of 51 fatalities. As of now, 24 people have been confirmed dead.
"Our office had reported 51 fatalities, some of those were reported possibly in error or doubled," said Amy Elliott, the chief administrative officer of the of the Oklahoma medical examiner's office.
She reported that 9 of the dead are children. Seven of the children were reportedly found at Moore’s Plaza Towers Elementary School, which is now a heap of twisted metal and rubble.
Elliot also warned that the "death toll could conceivably rise as the search and rescue continues today.” Some students at Plaza Towers and nearby Briarwood Elementary School reportedly remain missing.
The devastating 2 mile wide twister touched down in Newcastle Monday afternoon with winds between 166 and 200 mph. It cut a 22 mile path through homes and businesses in Newcastle and Moore. Homes and business were leveled. Moore Hospital was also hit hard.
At least 145 people, including 70 children, were injured.
"Let's focus on the good news for a moment, the good news is that in the overnight hours, 101 survivors were found," Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb said Tuesday morning. "I talked to a (National) Guardsman early this morning. He told me he found three bodies overnight but his eyes got brighter as he said he found an elderly couple holding onto one another in their shelter scared to death. But they're alive and well today. So thank you to the men and women who are providing the search and rescue right now."
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