The Oklahoma Insurance Department says payments from thedevastating May tornado outbreak across central Oklahoma have nowtopped $1 billion.

“These numbers are staggering, and the rebuilding is justbeginning,” says Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak. “Theamounts go up every week [from] this major catastrophe that hasimpacted thousands of Oklahomans.”

Some survivors are still dealing with insurance and constructionissues that cannot be resolved quickly, but Doak says thedepartment will be there for policyholders “until the last claim ispaid.” Since May 19, nearly 91,000 claims have been filed; however,some remain unresolved—which is not uncommon 3 to 4 months after alarge-scale disaster.

The Oklahoma Emergency Management Office adds that there were 56tornadoes during May in the state. This included an EF-4 tornadohitting Shawnee on May 19 and an EF-5—the most powerful—strikingMoore on May 20. There were 387 injuries from the tornadoes duringthe week of May 19-25, along with another 121 injuries caused bytornadoes and flooding during May 28-June 1.

The death count from the Moore tornado stands at 25 after a90-year-old woman died of injuries sustained during the disaster.The tornado also demolished the Plaza Towers Elementary School,tragically killing seven children.