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Oklahoma storms: First Oklahoma tornadoes, now floodwater

Residents in Craig, Delaware and Ottawa counties dealing with disaster

BY RHETT MORGAN AND SHEILA STOGSDILL State Correspondent | Published: May 25, 2011 Comment on this article

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Body of Ryan Hamil found in lake

May 26The body 3-year-old Ryan Hamil missing since a tornado...

Tornado disaster relief efforts

May 25The Farmer's Insurance mobile command center arrived in...

Chickasha tornado damage

May 25Residents of Chickasha start cleaning up the damage from...

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May 25An official talks to the media about the search.

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May 25Radar loop showing storms from 3 pm to 10 pm, May 24, in...

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May 25Severe thunderstorms have moved east out of Oklahoma and...

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May 24View a time-lapse rotation of a tornado that touched down...

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May 24Tuesday, May 24, 2011 will go down as another deadly day...

Oklahoma Storms: Tuesday, May 24, 2011

May 24High risk of strong tornadoes, large hail in Oklahoma today.

Oklahoma Weather Forecast: Tuesday, May 24, 2011

May 24The forecast for later today calls for a potentially...

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Article Gallery: Oklahoma storms: First Oklahoma tornadoes, now floodwater

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2011 Tornadoes

Tornado destruction so far in 2011

May 24 Tornadoes

May 24 storm routes and the times they occurred

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“There is lots of water everywhere,” Craig County Sheriff Jimmie Sooter said.

A total of 9.67 inches of rain fell in Vinita, according to the National Weather Service. Elsewhere, parts of Ottawa County received nearly 8 inches of rain, and Jay, in Delaware County, received 4.7 inches, the Weather Service reported.

Virtually all county roads south of Vinita were closed, Sooter reported Tuesday. Vinita Fire Department Lt. Kevin Huxtable said crews performed five water rescues, transporting nine people to safety, between about 5 and 11:30 p.m. Monday.

High-water rescues

Morris Bluejacket, director of Craig County Emergency Management, said 20 homes were evacuated Monday night in Vinita and that 10 to 15 people who drove into high water had to be rescued.

Among the areas hardest hit by the flooding was the Shady Pine Mobile Home Park, Huxtable said. Officials reported no injuries there.

“One of the hardest things was to convince people that they needed to leave their house,” Sooter said. “Four hours before it happens, it looks OK. Then four hours later, they have 6 inches of water in their house. It's just a dangerous situation.”

In Ottawa County, the Miami and Commerce school districts closed Tuesday because of high water on bus routes, a school spokeswoman said.

Four water rescues were performed Monday night in Ottawa County, Emergency Management Director Frank Geasland said. Many county roads were either flooded or damaged.

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