Record Rainfall and Flooding Leave Oklahoma Under Water
Over nine inches of rain has fallen in and around Oklahoma City during the past twenty-four hours which is causing a great deal of damage. The normal rainfall amount for this time of June is four inches. There are no deaths reported thus far from the flooding but homes and cars all across the greater metropolitan area are under water.
Severe thunderstorms swept through central Oklahoma on Monday which triggered flash floods that left over 130 people with injuries. Roads and cars have become completely submerged and there are now thousands of residents without power. Governor Brad Henry has declared a state of emergency in fifty-nine of the seventy-seven counties in the state. The National Weather Service has confirmed that nearly ten inches of rain fell between Sunday night and Monday morning which has caused creeks and rivers to overflow their banks and rush into residential areas.
The Red Cross has opened a center for displaced victims at an elementary school in Edmond, which is just outside Oklahoma City. Numerous government buildings in the metro area were damaged by the flood water and those agencies are now closed or have cut back their services.
Residents are being urged to stay out of the flood water as it can contain contaminants, sharp objects, oil, gas and even raw sewage. Many people living in the area are reporting that they have not seen flooding this bad in over two decades. Rescue crews are being kept busy saving stranded residents who are clinging to trees or struggling with the fast moving water. So far, there have been over 25 water rescues made. Flood warnings were issued all across the breadbasket region yesterday and are extended into today.
Many motorists found themselves trapped inside their vehicles yesterday while on their way to work when roads and interstates were suddenly swamped with quick moving, dirty water. Today, there are vehicles totally submerged in water on the roads with only their rooftops showing. Local television footage showed a driver frantically bailing water of of a side window of his halfway-submerged car before being rescued by a boat. In the Ski Island district, fire fighters went door-to-door to ask residents to evacuate their homes due to the worries that a nearby dam would overflow.
Unfortunately, the good people of the region do not have anything to look forward to regarding the weather as more rain is in the forecast for the next few days. Residents are being reminded to keep on eye on the local weather reports. Homeowners in flood-prone areas should take the necessary precautions to keep rising flood waters out of their homes.
