Oklahoma severe weather leads to nine deaths and ongoing coordination efforts, says authorities
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Recent severe weather in Oklahoma has led to nine deaths as severe weather moved throughout the state, says State agencies.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management on Friday released the latest situation update regarding flooding and severe weather impacting the state.
The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated due to ongoing flooding and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) continues to work alongside emergency managers for coordination efforts with the following organizations:
Oklahoma Highway Patrol
Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Office of
Homeland Security
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
Food and Forestry
Oklahoma Forestry Services
Oklahoma Insurance Department
Oklahoma National Guard
National Weather Service
Tribal Nations
Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations
Residents are asked to report damages to their property at damage.ok.gov.
Grady County families stranded after dam collapse washes away road
FATALITIES
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed seven flood-related fatalities since April 19:
2 – Cleveland County 4/19
2 – Wagoner County 4/21
1 – Comanche County 4/26
1 – Lincoln County 4/30
1 – Pottawatomie County 4/30
Two additional fatalities are attributed to severe storms:
1 – Adair County 4/19
1 – Hughes County 4/20
RESPONSE COORDINATION
Hominy remains under a water emergency today after a water line was damaged due to flooding.
Tulsa Police Department Incident Management Team deployed four members to provide incident support. Midwest City Emergency Manager is providing support with public information.
Osage Nation, Osage County, Creek County, Pawnee, and Okmulgee County provided water buffaloes.
Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Rural Water Association, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are continuing to provide technical support for impacts at area dams, including Lake Waxhoma Dam.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing sandbags for jurisdictions as needed, including 10,000 for Waurika.
The State EOC is supporting requests for swift water rescue teams for Stephens County and City of Waurika.
MASS CARE
American Red Cross will open a resource center in Lawton at First Baptist Church, 501 SW B. Ave. The center will be open the following days:
May 4, 2:00 -6:00 p.m.
May 5, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
May 6, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
City of Waurika has a shelter site on standby to open if needed at Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Waurika.
Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief will be in Lawton next week to assist homeowners affected by recent floods. Call 1-844-690-9198 or visit okdisasterhelp.org.
Use Be a Neighbor to connect with nonprofits and community organizations ready to help: BeANeighbor.org.
ROAD CLOSURES
Oklahoma Department of Transportation reports the following highways are closed due to flooding:
SH-5B is closed south of Walters between SH-5A and US-70 in Cotton County.
SH-80 is closed west of Hulbert in Cherokee County
Scenic SH-77 is closed downstream of the Lake Murray Spillway in Love County.
SH-48 is closed 1.5 miles south of I-40 in Okfuskee County.
Local roads or highways remain closed or washed out in 16 counties:
Alfalfa
Carter
Cherokee
Cotton
Grady
Johnston
Lincoln
Logan
Love
Marshall
Mayes
McClain
Muskogee
Nowata
Pottawatomie
Stephens
Officials are reminding drivers not to drive through flooded roads or drive around barricades to enter a flooded or flood-damaged road.
Logan Co. Emergency Management monitoring flood situation amid rainy month
STATE OF EMERGENCY
A State of Emergency Remains in effect starting April 19 for the following counties Cleveland, Comanche, and Cotton.
DIAL 211
For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact 2-1-1.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Federal funding continues for Midland County flood mitigation research
Fifth anniversary of historic flooding in Midland County, Michigan Fifth anniversary of historic flooding in Midland County, Michigan Fifth anniversary of historic flooding in Midland County, Michigan The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received additional funding to continue its research on flooding mitigation for Midland County, Michigan. The $1.4 million for the Tittabawassee Watershed Flood Risk Management Study was approved under the Fiscal Year 2025 Work Plan, according to a press release issued Tuesday. The Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, is working with Midland County, the City of Midland and the Midland Business Alliance on the study. The Tittabawasee Watershed region includes the Chippewa, Pine, and Tittabawassee Rivers. The Midland area has seen significant flooding numerous times, including in 1986, 1996, 2013, 2017 and 2020. In response to the situation, community officials asked for federal help in identifying potential solutions. "Flood risk management is one of our most important missions in the Detroit District, because it presents an opportunity for us to use our technical expertise in a largescale way to help local communities," Lt. Col. Wallace Bandeff, Corps of Engineers Detroit District commander, said in the press release The study began under authorization of $3 million under the 2022 Water Resources Development Act. Once the study is completed, the Corps of Engineers will present its suggestions such as retention basins or levees. Any final recommendations would need to go to Congress for funding and implementation. The above video aired on May 19, 2025.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Yahoo
Eaton Fire 5 months later: A look at the progress that has been made
LOS ANGELES - It's been nearly five months since the Eaton Fire erupted in Altadena, burning 14,021 acres and killing 18. The fire, which erupted Jan. 7, destroyed over 9,000 structures and damaged another thousand. Nearing the five-month anniversary, Los Angeles County officials are highlighting the progress and work that has been done to rebuild the community. What they're saying According to Supervisor Kathryn Barger, over 5,000 (88%) of fire-damaged properties have been cleared of debris by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Of those 5,000 properties, 3,440 sites (60%) received final sign-off and returned to the county for follow-up. Barger says the Corps currently has 81 active debris removal crews operating in the area, clearing roughly 57 properties per day. To date, they have removed over 1.3 million tons of debris. "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is demonstrating exceptional speed, efficacy, and dedication in their debris removal mission in Altadena. Their tireless work is helping our community heal and rebuild faster than many thought possible. I wholeheartedly appreciate their commitment and am proud to work alongside them as we support Altadena's road to recovery," Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. In terms of parks and community spaces, Charles White Park is fully cleared, the Eaton Canyon Nature Center is 95% cleared, and Farnsworth Park is halfway complete. Barger said all parks are projected to be fully cleared of debris within two weeks. Work is also underway to clear debris at the Altadena Senior Center, The Bunny Museum, and Lifeline Church. Barger said some of these properties are in various stages of clearance, with some already completed and others pending final contract approvals. Loma Alta Park became the first public park to reopen after the fire. Altadena had a grand re-opening celebration for Loma Alta Park on Saturday, May 10. According to the county, property owners who have fire debris on their property and have opted out of the government-sponsored debris removal program must hire a contractor to complete the work. Those who opted out or did not submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form must now obtain a Fire Debris Removal (FDR) permit and hire a licensed contractor by June 1. PREVIOUS COVERAGE:Eaton Fire survivors struggling with housing, essential supplies 3 months after wildfire County officials say if a permit is not obtained by the June 1 deadline, the property may be declared a Public Nuisance. The Source Information for this story came from the office of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Will deadly 1949 flood be repeated in Fort Worth? This project aims to prevent it
In May 1949, 11 inches of rain fell on Fort Worth in nine hours, turning the Trinity River into a 14-block-wide body of water and crippling our community of 350,000 people. This month marks the 76th anniversary of that event — the worst natural disaster in Fort Worth history. The flood left 13,000 people homeless and 10 people dead. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with the local sponsor Tarrant Regional Water District, responded by constructing a 27-mile levee system and floodgates intended to contain the river through Fort Worth in a major rain event. Almost 75 years later, the system remains intact, but conditions have changed. Fort Worth has experienced substantial growth. Just recently, Cowtown's population officially exceeded 1 million residents. More rooftops, development, and impervious concrete have reduced the amount of land available to soak up rainfall. At the same time, extreme weather conditions stand to increase the regularity and intensity of significant rainstorms. We cannot wish away natural disasters. Just as drought will return, so will the rains. We've recently endured heavy storms that caused rivers to rise and our reservoirs to fill. Water from local lakes had to be released to ensure the safety of our community. Only through proactive, careful planning were we able to mitigate impacts to our city and daily lives. But as history shows us, it is not a matter of if another major flood will hit this area, but when. With proactive preparation and planning, a community can withstand an onslaught from the elements. Fortunately, for the citizens of Fort Worth, local leaders have for years been hard at work to ensure this community will be ready for whatever comes. The Central City Flood Control project involves the construction of a 1.5-mile bypass channel near downtown Fort Worth that will reroute floodwater from the Trinity River. By redirecting the Clear Fork and West Fork through the bypass, water levels will be lowered, enabling the existing levee system to manage the flow more efficiently and providing increased flood protection for the community. Once completed, the project will protect thousands of acres of established neighborhoods, which have become significantly more populated since the original levee system was built in the 1960s. The area once fully protected by the levee system is currently home to more than 14,000 residents, 7,200 homes, and almost 1,100 businesses. Beyond keeping flood waters at bay, this multi-faceted, multi-benefit flood control project has also inspired a re-imagining and a rediscovery of the Trinity River as a community asset. Even before construction begins, the benefits can already be seen. In one of the largest environmental cleanup efforts in the state, more than 400,000 tons of contaminated soil has been removed to make way for the bypass channel. Flood water storage areas are now helping protect the city from flooding. Environmental remediation near Gateway Park on the city's east side has also removed hazardous materials, allowing for the creation of wetlands, aquatic habitat, improved forested areas and recreational trails. Urban revitalization has been a benefit of this transformative project from the beginning. The ambitious and innovative design of the flood control project provides an opportunity to create Panther Island. A once-neglected industrial section near the Trinity River will be transformed into a vibrant neighborhood with green spaces bustling with activity and opportunities for living, working, shopping, connecting, and playing. With preparatory work nearing completion, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to begin construction on the north half of the bypass channel in early 2026. Corps officials have said they are 'absolutely committed to ruthlessly continue' the Central City Flood Control Project, but it can only do so if it has the money. Delays triggered by the lack of congressional funding have affected the project, as it has others across the country. Sometimes those delays have devastating consequences. For example, in 1991, the Corps recommended building a 12-mile-long diversion channel from the Comite River to the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge to control flooding. But funding issues dragged the project out and, in 2016, a powerful storm dumped 21 inches of rain on the region, resulting in dire flash flooding. About 109,000 homes were flooded in Louisiana, and residential property damages were estimated at $3.8 billion. And just last year, a similar story played out in Asheville, North Carolina. Around the country, communities are asking themselves, could it happen here? In Fort Worth, one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. that sits on the banks of a major river that has already flooded, the answer is yes — but we have options. We can invest in flood protection today or spend billions in disaster recovery tomorrow. Mattie Parker is the mayor of Fort Worth, Carlos Flores is the District 2 city councilman of Fort Worth and Leah King is the board president of the Tarrant Regional Water District.
