Transcript for Deadly Tornadoes Move Across the Midwest
in a moment but we begin with a terrifying night for millions of Americans. You see this. One of those twisters forming. A quiet spring erupting with the first severe storms of the season. The Numbers are incredible, robin. Seven reported tornadoes in Oklahoma and Arkansas overnight. You can see some of the devastation right here and look at the gym where inside more than 50 children were trapped and here you see first responders pulling a man from the wreckage. Parts of Oklahoma hit hard by this outbreak. You know our extreme weather team is covering it from all angles. Rob is there in Oklahoma and ginger is here to start things off. Just imagine, robin, you're driving along the highway. This is just north of Oklahoma City and the power lines start snapping. The sparks coming at you frightening images like this were happening again in Moore, Oklahoma, hit again with a tornado. Much weaker than years ago but part of the 120 plus severe storm reports that stretched from Oklahoma through Arkansas, Missouri, all the way to Illinois and Indiana. I want to go straight into that tornado, so frightening to watch live just west of Tulsa in sand springs and that is where we find our rob Marciano. He got on a plane and got state there. Rob, tell us what you're seeing. Reporter: Ginger, violent day weatherwise and it is just a mess just to get here. Look at the damage to this roof. A massive roof ripped apart coming crashing down, brick and mortar walls torn apart. Dozens of children inside that area when the storms ripped through. What a frightening scene across tornado alley. I knew that thing was coming after me. Reporter: Overnight deadly tornadoes tearing across the midwest. Like right in front of us. Reporter: This driver in Moore, Oklahoma on the highway as the twister bears down. Look, we are right on this. Reporter: Watch on the right the tornado toppling a semi. I've got to help this guy in the truck. Reporter: The damaging storm struck Oklahoma the hardest killing at least one person. Oh, we got another one. Reporter: Ripping roofs from houses and overturning cars. This woman inside as her truck is flipped. I felt glass breaking and I was on the top sliding across. I'm very fortunate. I hung upside down until somebody got here. Reporter: Near Tulsa an estimated half-mile-wide twister moving at 45 miles per hour crossing interstates. A semi has overturned and also a pickup truck is on its hood all weather related. Reporter: At this gymnastics studio on the west side firefighters rescuing more than 50 children and their instructors who took shelter inside carrying them after the storm ripped through the building destroying it. Fortunately, everyone made it out safely. More than 80,000 left without power as the twisters ravaged the state. That is serious. Reporter: In sand springs this tornado crossing a river and colliding with power lines causing them to spark. And further south, Moore, Oklahoma, a town devastated by an ef-5 tornado hit again overnight. A reported twister damaging homes and businesses and ripping siding from building. Amid the wreckage a symbol of hope. Chase Rhodes tweeting just found this after the tornado. God is with us. So far this year, it has been a very, very quiet severe weather year. The month of March, zero tornadoes up until yesterday and, robin, this certainly a scary reminder to the folks who live here just how awful it can be to be in tornado alley. All right, rob. Thank you very much. Joining us now our Jennifer Patterson the founder and director of aim high academy hit so hard and 1-year-old Jamari Wilson in the gym, as well. So good to see you both this morning and know that you are doing well. Jennifer, tell us how much warning did you have and what did you do once you knew that the tornado was possibly heading your way? Well, I knew that we had a threat of severe weather and so I went over the weather activation plan with my staff and I would say probably about 30 minutes, 20, 30 minutes before it hit, the sirens started going off. You had a little signal, the snapping of your fingers to let everybody know to head down to the basement. Yeah, I had told all my coaches, if you see my snap my fingers and point you know what to do, get those babies down in the basement as fast as you can. Those precious baby, that one you have next to you. Jennifer, you head down to the basement. What was it like when the tornado hit? Oh, well, we were all huddled really close together and I kind of felt my insides leap up and my ears popped and then there was kind of a loud boom and a lot of rattling and the lies went out then we heard a lot of screams from a bunch of little kids. It was pretty scary at that moment. We turned our cell phone flashlights on and tried to give the kids as much light as we could and all started praying, starting sings praise and worship songs with the kids and trying to reassure them to let them know it's going to be okay. I love how you're reassuring Jamari with the back rub. What was it like? I know it had to be scary in the basement. Can you describe what it was like down there? Well, it wasn't your typical everyday life. It was very different from what we normally go through, but I knew that our coaches were guiding us to safety. And they did just that and what was it like when you emerged from the basement, Jennifer? Oh, well, I went out before all of the kids did and pretty much just lost it. Couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was -- I mean there was water pouring in down the stairs to the basement when we opened the door and just pretty much walked out and there was -- the roof was gone. I was devastated. Rightfully so and understandably so and how about for you, Jamari and your friends, what was it like when you emerged from the basement, came out? It was very scary because we have done this for almost all our life and to see it gone was just horrifying for us. Oh, bless your heart. Jamari, I know and for you, Jennifer, the aim high academy so important for the community. I know you're thankful that everyone got out safe and sound and I'm sure you have plans to rebuild, don't you? We are so thankful and we are a nonprofit that this community built up so we know this community is going to help us build again and so we thank god for that. You are in our thoughts and prayers, thank you very much and all the best to you and everyone there going forward. You take care. Thank you, robin. Thank you. Just to see her like that and set up a go fund and have a strong community. You spent a lot of time there. In Moore, Oklahoma. It always strikes us, it's the coaches and teachers and instincts kick in and they save our children and Jamari will be back on the mat soon. The other main news, it's
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
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