Situation Update May 1

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated due to ongoing flooding across the state. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is in contact with emergency managers across the state and coordinating with agencies and organizations including 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 Active in Disaster, and others.

STATE OF EMERGENCY

Governor Kevin Stitt declared a State of Emergency Tuesday for three Oklahoma counties due to ongoing heavy rain, flooding, and severe weather that began April 19. Under the Executive Order, state agencies can make emergency purchases and acquisitions needed to expedite the delivery of resources to local jurisdictions. The declaration also marks a first step toward seeking federal assistance should it be necessary. The counties included in the governor’s declaration are Cleveland, Comanche, and Cotton. Damage assessments are ongoing, and additional counties are expected to be added to the Executive Order.

RESIDENTS ASKED TO REPORT DAMAGES

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management continues to ask residents impacted by severe storms or flooding to report damages to their property at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps local and state emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts and can help connect residents to resources. Residents can report damage to homes, businesses or agriculture through the online survey.

STORM REPORTS:

Blanchard Emergency Management reports a dam breach at County Line and County Road 1322. Water flooded one home. Eight to ten additional homes are isolated due to floodwaters and currently inaccessible. Grady County is working to build a temporary road to gain access.

Waurika Emergency Management reports approximately 40 homes impacted by flooding in Waurika. The fire department, police department, city hall, and other buildings were flooded downtown. At least 85 percent of streets in town were closed.

Many counties continue to report widespread flooding.

RESPONSE COORDINATION

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been coordinating support requests to assist the City of Hominy in Osage County. Hominy declared a water emergency this morning after a water line was damaged overnight due to flooding. Tulsa Fire Department Incident Management Team deployed four members to provide incident support. 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 Waxhoma Lake Dam.

Oklahoma Rural Water Association is providing a heavy excavator and pipe for the raw water bypass in Hominy to help repair the water line.  

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided 10,000 sandbags for Johnston County.

The State EOC is working request for a swift water rescue team to assist in Waurika if needed.

MASS CARE

Three shelters are open for residents impacted by the flooding in Comanche County:

• Cameron Baptist Church, 2621 SW C Ave, Lawton
• First Baptist Church, 501 SW B Ave, Lawton
• Lawton Salvation Army Corps, 1314 SW E Ave, Lawton

The American Red Cross is providing cleanup kits, meals, snacks and water.

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 to request assistance.

ROAD CLOSURES

Oklahoma Department of Transportation reports the following highways are closed due to flooding:

• SH-5A is closed at Cache Creek in Cotton County.
• 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.
• SH-11 is closed between 116th St. N. and 126th St. N. between Sperry and Skiatook in Tulsa County.
• SH-20 is now open at Bird Creek just east of SH-11 near Skiatook in Tulsa County.

Officials continue to remind drivers not to drive through flooded roads. Find an alternate route.

DIAL 211

For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies.