|
On Thursday, a road washed away in a rural community south of
Oklahoma City, stranding about 10 families whose only way out of
their homes is a mile-and-a-half walk around a washed-out pond
that broke through a retaining wall.
“I've never wanted a Sonic cheeseburger so bad in my life, but
that's just because I can't go and get one,” said John Teas, who
was stranded with his wife and 17-year-old son at their home in
Blanchard, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Oklahoma
City. “I'll probably go out to my wood shop and see if I can get
some work done.”
The Blanchard Fire Department received a call early Thursday
morning from one of Teas's neighbors who had rising floodwater
in his home. On their way, they discovered the only road into
that part of the county had completely washed away.
“The fire department went door to door,” Grady County Emergency
Management Director Dale Thompson said. “They had to walk
through the fields to let them know what was going on.”
Oklahoma experienced multiple rounds of thunderstorms
characterized by their long, circular structure and prolonged
rainfall in recent weeks, said Jennifer Thompson, a
meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
“Tonight and tomorrow morning we're concerned about another
round of severe weather and potential flooding,” Thompson said
Thursday.
At least seven Oklahoma cities, including capital Oklahoma City,
set April rainfall records, said Oklahoma State Climatologist
Gary McManus. The statewide average rainfall totaled 8.74
inches, surpassing the previous April record of 8.32 inches set
in 1942, according to data kept since 1895, McManus said.
The record rainfall comes just four months after Oklahoma set an
all-time rainfall record in November.
The wet weather did result in some good news: Drought conditions
that covered 48% of the state dropped to a little more than 14%
through April, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Only parts
of the Oklahoma Panhandle and the far northwestern corner of the
state remained in drought conditions on Thursday.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
