Middle of the month movers in Oklahoma and parts of North Texas had to postpone their plans today, like everyone else, as flash floods deluged the area. In less than 12 hours on Monday, 10 inches of rain fell, and between two and four more inches were expected during the night. According to the National Weather Service, Oklahoma City usually gets only four inches of rain during the entire month of June. Early this morning, Lt. Governor Jari Askins of Oklahoma declared a state of emergency.
“We want everyone to use caution as storms continue across our state,” Askins warned at NewsOn6.com. Captain Chris West, of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, told motorists who had planned unnecessary trips, including moves, or even commutes to work and school, to stay home.
“We don’t want anyone driving into high water,” West said in yesterday’s Oklahoman. “Our response times can be affected because we are driving through the same things they are.”
Roads, in particular, are considered very hazardous, as many of them have turned into rivers. Cars are stranded on highways. In addition, there are around 5,000 power outages. Consumers are being warned to avoid downed electric lines. Flash flood warnings remained in effect for all of western North Texas and all but the northwest parts of Oklahoma until at least 7 a.m. Flood warnings were extended to Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning in some areas. Thunderstorms are expected to continue through Tuesday and Wednesday.
The following counties are included in the state of emergency: Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Custer, Delaware, Dewey, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Lincoln, Logan, Major, McClain, McIntosh, Mayes, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Oklahoma, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington, Washita, Woods and Woodward.
Numerous roads in the Oklahoma City area have been reported closed. Roads are not only closed, but also extremely dangerous. At one intersection, the corner of Sooner and Hefner, firefighters trying to rescue a teenage girl who was clinging to tree branches ended up needing to be rescued themselves, as flood currents submerged half of their boat. A second rescue boat quickly caught up with the firefighters and the girl, who herself had fallen into the floodwater while trying to reach another woman. Seven people were rescued from the Deep Fork River as it left the riverbed behind and headed into the city.
Flash floods, floods that develop very rapidly, are the number one cause of death during thunderstorms. It takes only six inches of rushing water to sweep an adult off his or her feet, and only two feet of water to make a car float.
The following state roads in the Oklahoma City area are closed, according to this morning's Oklahoman:
- State Highway 66 at Westminster and Luther Road
- westbound I-40 on-ramp at Council Road
- right lane of I-35 northbound, in Logan County, just south of Seward Road
- US 177 between State Highway 11 and Braman
- US 177 north of State Highway 11 at Deep Fork Creek near Wellston
- State Highway 20 at Bird Creek east of Skiatook
In addition, in Oklahoma City itself, street crews reported the following road closures as of 6 p.m. Monday:
- NE 5 and Lincoln
- SW 15 and Council, west of Council
- SW 25 and Woodward
- SW 29 and Portland
- 4002 NE 16 (a bridge is out)
- NE 23 and Santa Fe
- Sooner Road and NE 50
- Kelley from NE 57 to I-44
- NE 63 and Bryant
- NE 122 and Sooner Road
- NW 4 from Western to Walker
- Penn from NW 7 to NW 12
- NW 23 and Portland
- NW 72 and Meridian
- NW 130 and MacArthur
- NW 164 and Western
- I-35 and Hefner
- I-35 and Bryant
- MacArthur at Hefner and Blue Stem Drive and Blue Stem Back Road
- 4600 W Memorial
- Ann Arbor from Reno to NW6
- Britton Road east of Sooner Road
- I-44 and May Ave
- NW 4 and Shartel
- NW 192 from Penn to Western
- I-240 and Eastern
- NW 36 from Western to I-35
- 3737 E Hefner
- 1131 N Penn
- Britton Road from Air Depot to Sooner
In addition, the following roads were reported closed by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office:
- NW 164th from N Countyline to N MacArthur
- N Rockwell from NW 178th to NW 192nd
- NW 206th from N MacArthur to N May
- NW 220th from N Meridian to N May
- N Meridian from NW 164th to NW 206th
- NW 192nd from N Meridian to N Portland
- NW 178th from N MacArthur to N Portland
- N May from NW 220th to NW 206th
- N Pennsylvania from NW 206th to NW 192nd
- N Western from NW 248th to NW 234th
- NW 248th from N Western to N Santa Fe
- NW 234th from N Western to N Santa Fe
Sources used:
Bisbee, Julie. “Oklahoma flooding: threats continue as rain may taper off this afternoon.” The Oklahoman. June 14, 2010.
“High water closes roads in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County.” The Oklahoman. June 14, 2010.
Hosley, Corbin. “Oklahoma City flooding: Sooner and Hefner becomes site of seven rescues.” The Oklahoman. June 15, 2010.
Murphy, Sean. “Dozens rescued as flash floods inundate Okla. City.” Associated Press. June 14, 2010.
“Oklahoma.” Weather Underground.com.
Santa Cruz, Nicole. “Downpour triggers flash floods in Oklahoma City.” The Los Angeles Times. June 15, 2010.
Shortsleeve, Joe. “Oklahoma City overcome with flood water.” WBZ38. June 14, 2010.
“State of emergency declared in wake of Oklahoma flooding, storms.” NewsOn6.com. Tulsa, OK. June 14, 2010.