so few deaths. any death is one too many. but at this point in time, we know of 24. that s really quite remarkable. especially when we thought it was 51 last night. so even that in a strange way is good news, you know, governor, thank you. good luck. i know you have your work cut out for and you it s not easy. thank you. we appreciate you. seven children killed when that tornado landed a direct hit on plaza towers almostary school. tone, a scene of utter devastation where the school once stood. griff jenkins is live in moshings oklahoma. griff? reporter: gret ai started today in dallas. i had to drive in. it was there at the airport in dallas that i met school superintendent jana borisi, we had our cameras rolling when she saw for the first time, the horrific damage at tower plaza. kids were close to being out for the day.
oklahoma. you can see right there as rescuers have combed through the rubble they say now three times over. they say they are so confident that no more survivors are buried under the rubble. right now the death toll stands at 24 and that includes nine children. the twist was upgraded to ef 5. it caused more energy than the bomb dropped on hiroshima. two schools tower plaza and briar elementary schools. parents rush frantic to be reunite withed their reunited with their children. (sobbing) the students at briarwood elementary school escaping the rubble unharmed.
it s remarkable that we ve had so few deaths. any death is one too many. at this point in time, we know of 24. that s really quite remarkable. especially when we thought it was 51 last night. that in a strange way is good news. governor, thank you. and good luck. i know you have your work cut out for you. thank you, governor. thank you. we appreciate you. seven children killed when the tornado landed a direct hit on plaza towers elementary school. tonight a scene of utter devastation where that school once stood. griff jenkins is live in moore, oklahoma. greta, i started today in dallas. i had to drive in and it was there at the airport in dallas that i met school superintendent jana barisi. we drove in together and had our cameras rolling when she saw for the first time the damage done at tower plaza, one much her man i schools. kids were in here getting close to being out for the day.
in the last hour, we had an opportunity to speak with the gentleman who was living in this house with his wife. he was at home at the time, his wife was at work. they all got out okay. but chuck, interestingly enough. people in this neighborhood right now, just over a few block, they re actually pitching tents in their front yards to make sure they re not going to have any issues with looters. there were helicopters up overnight to make sure there weren t issues with that. certainly, the police presence in and around this area has been very overwhelming as first responders, search and rescue crews have been working in really people-concentrated areas. what i mean by that, the movie theaters, casino, tower plaza elementary school has been a big area of concern where many people died in yesterday s storms. we ll work on taking everybody to a press conference coming up just around the corner. they have a media press area at the dick s sporting goods story. we don t have an exact time of w
of things we know. an elementary school has been hit. there is briarwood elementary, took a direct hit from a tornado. we spoke to a schoolteacher there, the schoolteacher tells us that everyone, faculty and students are accounted for but search and rescue will be ongoing at that school through the night. firefighters are already there, ambulances are on hand and they re setting up command posts right now. two more elementary schools were hit, one that is about a mile behind me here off to the north and east. that is tower plaza elementary school, it took a direct hit as well. what we know about that school is this. at least a half a dozen school children drowned as a result of being we know that the city medical examiner has confirmed 37