A large tornado was spotted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Friday, prompting the Big 12 Wrestling Championship to make a crucial call. Tournament officials announced that they are pausing the event after tornado warnings were issued in the area. Meanwhile, the BOK Center asked fans and players to take shelter immediately.
“We are pausing the Big 12 Wrestling Championship Presented By Allstate due to a tornado warning in the Tulsa area. We will provide updates as they become available,” Big 12 Conference wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
“ATTENTION BIG 12 WRESTLING FANS: A tornado threat is in our immediate area and the event must stop. Building staff will direct you to the closest area of safety to shelter. This is not a drill,” BOK Center tweeted.
Soon BOK Center announced that the severe weather threat has passed. “It’s now safe to head back to your seats for the remainder of the event. Wrestling will restart at 7:10.”
Meanwhile, NWS Tulsa confirmed that there is a tornado on the ground near Owasso, Oklahoma, heading toward Collinsville.
State of Emergency announced
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Friday activated the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) due to wind damage and possible tornadoes in Southwest Michigan.
“Tonight, I am activating our State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate an all- hands-on-deck response to severe weather in southwestern Michigan. By taking this action, we can ensure the state can monitor and respond to local requests. I want to thank all the first responders on the ground who reacted quickly to keep Michiganders safe,” Whitmer said.
The SEOC was activated at 6:00 PM local time according to the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD).
“SEOC personnel are monitoring the situation and working with state and local officials as well as private sector partners to ensure any resource needs are met. MSP/EMHSD District Coordinators are on the scene with local emergency management officials and supporting local emergency operation centers. The SEOC is ready to fulfill as resource requests that may arise,” a press release read.
