Funerals Begin In Tornado-Ravaged Moore, Okla.

By Mark Memmott / NPR

Published May 23, 2013 at 12:47 AM PDT

This story was published more than 11 years ago.

The scene at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., which was destroyed by Monday's tornado. Seven children died there.

Funerals began Thursday for the 24 people known to have been killed by the tornado that devastated Moore, Okla., on Monday.

Nine-year-old Antonia Candelaria, one of the 7 children killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School, was being remembered at a local church. Her obituary says that "Tonie" and her best friend Emily Conatzer "were inseparable, even in their last moments, they held on to one another and followed each other into Heaven and they will never be alone."

In other news from Moore:

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-- Officials now estimate that up to 13,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and that the total about of damage done could exceed $2 billion.

-- The number of injured is thought to have exceeded 370.

-- "While anguish over the deaths was palpable as residents began picking up their shattered neighborhoods," The Associated Press writes, "many remained stunned that the twister didn't take a higher human toll during its 40 minutes on the ground."

-- The names of all 24 victims have been released.

Update at 11:15 a.m. ET. Damage Maps And New Data On The Injured:

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Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin's office has emailed reporters to say that the official figure on the number of people known to have been injured by Monday's tornado is now 377. That's 24 more than had been reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, NPR has posted an interactive graphic that allows users to zoom in on satellite images of the storm's destructive path. There's also an interactive view of the damage on this page from the Google Crisis Response team.

Update at 9 a.m. ET. Storms Return To Moore:

There's been heavy rain and some lightning in Moore this morning, CNN reports. And the National Weather Service is warning that there is:

"A moderate risk of severe thunderstorms for Thursday afternoon and evening across a small portion of northwest Texas. Supercell storms are forecast to develop in this area, which could result in very large hail and a few tornadoes. A slight risk of severe thunderstorms exists for portions of Texas and Oklahoma, as well as parts of the Northeast U.S."

Some of NPR's related coverage:

-- Teachers In Moore Gather For 'Sharing And Healing'.

-- Photos: Recovery Begins In Tornado-Hit Area.

-- Oklahoma Officials Toss Around Storm Shelter Issue After Twister.

-- Oklahoma Tornado: Finding Aid, Giving Aid.