Fairfax Tornado: Highway 18 Closed In Oklahoma, Widespread Damage, Power Cuts [Photos]

State Highway 18, which passes through the town of Fairfax, Oklahoma, was closed due to the damage wrought by a tornado passing through the area on Sunday.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the Highway 18 will remain closed until further notice. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation advised commuters to find an alternative route for traveling, Tulsa World reported.

Most of Fairfax, which has a population of 1,300, reported power cuts although the exact number of households affected is still being assessed. There were also reports of nine power lines being knocked down in Garland, a neighboring town in Oklahoma.

According to radio station KRMG, there have been some minor injuries reported although no major casualties have been reported so far. State troopers were trying to keep residents away from downed power lines and trees.

The town's nursing home and hospital were also without power and backup generators were not working.

Photos of damages from the tornado circulating on social media showed debris being scattered along the streets and buildings having sustained considerable damages.

According to the emergency management, they received calls of roof damage and other forms of damages to residential buildings and businesses in the area.

American Red Cross volunteers were on their way to aid in the emergency management.

A tornado warning was issued for western Osage County by the National Weather Service which was supposed to expire at 8:30 p.m. local time (9:30 p.m. EDT). However, as the tornado continued to move northeast at 25 mph, the warning was extended till 9:15 p.m. local time (10:15 p.m. EDT) and later to 10 p.m. local time (11 p.m. EDT).

The warning covered locations such as Fairfax, Pearson and Foraker. Quarter-sized hail was expected in areas through which the tornado passed. Residents living in the areas were urged to take cover.

The tornado was initially seen within six miles east of Burbank and was moving northeast at 20 mph. Later it was located seven miles southeast of the city of Shidler. Before passing through Fairfax, the tornado was seen nine miles northwest of Pearsonia in Osage County, which was 25 miles from the Kansas border.