UPDATE: Tuesday, May 21, 4:46 p.m.: OCCC will reopen Wednesday morning, May 22.

OCCC announces that all classes and activities will resume at the main campus, the FACE Center and the Capitol Hill Center at 7 a.m.

The college closed on Tuesday, May 21, after a tornado devastated the nearby community of Moore, affecting many students and staff.

Monday, May 20, 9:30 p.m.: OCCC will remain closed on Tuesday, May 21.

The college has issued the following statement on its website: “Our thoughts continue to be with the many people affected by the devastating tornado and storms in Newcastle, Moore and the south Oklahoma City metro. Although we are fortunate that the OCCC campus was not damaged, some OCCC students, faculty and staff have been directly impacted by this terrible tragedy and others have family and friends that have been victims of the tornado.

Due to the far-reaching impact of the damage, Oklahoma City Community College will be closed on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. All classes and activities for Tuesday, May 21, 2013 are cancelled. This includes the main campus, the Family and Community Education Center and the Capitol Hill Center.

We will keep you advised when classes and activities will resume. This is a reminder that during inclement weather, campus closings, cancellations and delayed openings will be announced through local radio and television stations and posted on the college’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages. They will also be announced through the college’s Campus Alert Notification (CAN) System.”

Monday, May 20: OCCC is closed for the evening. All classes are canceled.

OCCC sent out a campus-wide alert that the college would be closed for the evening shortly after a tornado moved through the nearby city of Moore.

A text that read, “Oklahoma City Community College is closed effectively immediately for all personnel excluding Campus Police and safety officials,” went out at 4:46 p.m.

Numerous students, campus employees and people from the surrounding area took shelter in the college’s underground area as the storm moved through.

The Pioneer Online will update our readers as information becomes available.