Mother and child reportedly died when their car overturned on an interstate highway as violent storms swept across central Oklahoma.


At least three tornadoes hit Oklahoma City and the metro area Friday night, killing five people, the Oklahoma medical examiner's office says.

People were trapped in their vehicles as a storm swept down an interstate highway while commuters tried to beat it home.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said several motorists were injured and others were missing.

A mother and a child were killed when their car rolled over, KFOR-TV reported.

Another person died at El Reno, the first city struck by the storm, said Amy Elliott, a spokeswoman for the state medical examiner. Circumstances involving the other two deaths weren't immediately known, Elliott said.

About 50 other people were hurt, five critically, the Associated Press reports.

Among the injured is a meteorologist from The Weather Channel who is nursing minor injuries after the 'tornado hunt' car in which he was riding was thrown some 200 yards by a tornado in Oklahoma, the Associated Press reports.
The SUV that Mike Bettes and two others were riding in was caught up in a storm near El Reno on Friday evening. The Weather Channel said all of the occupants were wearing safety belts and were able to walk away from the banged-up vehicle.

Network spokeswoma.