>>> seven children were killed inside plaza towers elementary school here. nbc news kate snow has more on what happened inside that school as the tornado hit.
>> reporter: inside the walls of the plaza towers elementary school , 500 students were counting down the days in the final week of class. in a matter of minutes, the campus went from looking like this to this. classrooms completely obliterated, an auditorium caved in. parents of other students tell nbc news children were in the auditorium.
>> seen it from the air. this is it behind me, as i step out of the way, let joe zoom in. this is the front of plaza towers elementary school . this school is basically gone.
>> reporter: in the hours after the tornado, dramatic images, young children were rescued, and with darkness, the search for survivors continued. some children had escaped harm, their parents picked them up before the school went on lockdown monday. the majority stayed inside as they practiced in drills many times. math teacher rhonda crossway was helping sixth graders with an end of school game when the principal came over the loudspeaker, told them to go to the hallway. damien klein is a fourth grader.
>> she told us all to get a math book or your bag. i already had my bag. then we went in the hall.
>> why did she tell you to get a math book or bag.
>> we could put it over our head.
>> reporter: a fifth grade teacher saw the funnel cloud approaching, yelled for everyone to leave and get into bathrooms or closets.
>> you have to get them in there. he was like you're getting in there, too. she was in a bathroom crouched over four children and did what teachers do.
>> i remember a little boy saying i love you, don't let me die. i said we're not dying today. did i the teacher thing we're probably not supposed to do, i prayed and prayed outloud.
>> what did you say?
>> i said please don't take these kids today.
>> reporter: the walls still stood. when it was quiet, she sent a small boy to climb up, look out.
>> he got up there, looked out, said there's nothing left.
>> reporter: damien in the same bathroom under a sink.
>> how loud was it?
>> pretty loud.
>> reporter: were you scared?
>> uh-huh. there was a bunch of people screaming.
>> reporter: his mom spent an anxious hour wondering if her little boy was still alive. now wonlders why the school didn't have a better shelter plan.
>> i think every school in oklahoma should have an underground shelter. it shouldn't take a tornado this size and this many kids hurt, missing, lost their lives to realize they need underground shelters.
>> that was nbc news kate snow reporting.
>>> coming up, what happened at one of the other elementary schools here in moore, oklahoma as our live coverage continues. [ indistinct conversations ] [
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