NewsOK member benefits

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

Multimedia

Videoview all videos

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...

Oklahoma tornadoes: Victim finds husband's wedding ring

May 25Miranda Lewis, who lives west of El Reno, survived the...

Oklahoma tornadoes: Logan County official addresses search for missing boy

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

Piedmont homeowners address May 24 storm

May 25Kenneth and Margie Hanebaum sought shelter in their...

Oklahoma Storms: Radar loop of May 24 storms

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

Oklahoma Storms: Cleanup after tornadoes hit state

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

Oklahoma tornadoes: Tornado rotation

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

Oklahoma Storms: Deaths confirmed as tornadoes hit state

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...

Photoview all 193 photos

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

interactive

2011 Tornadoes

Tornado destruction so far in 2011

May 24 Tornadoes

May 24 storm routes and the times they occurred

NewsOK Related Articles

Oklahoma tornadoes: NWS upgrades 3 tornadoes from EF-3 to EF-4
05/27/2011 Three of the seven tornadoes that struck Oklahoma and killed 10 people this week have been upgraded from EF-3 to EF-4. A fourth tornado has now been rated...
Oklahoma tornadoes: Woman killed in Chickasha lived a vibrant life
05/27/2011 Described as literally one of the most colorful people they know, Laron Short's death has left a void in the lives of her friends and family in Chickasha.
Oklahoma storms: Some Oklahomans still without power after storms
05/27/2011 Utility crews still are working to restore power to customers statewide who lost electric service after Tuesday's tornadoes.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Devon Energy says up to 3 months may be needed for repairs to Calumet plant
05/27/2011 The $140 million processing plant was damaged by flying debris Tuesday when a tornado struck a nearby salvage yard, but no one was injured at the plant.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Blanchard woman feared she might be ‘buried alive' when tornado hit
05/27/2011 For the first time ever, Mary Ritter, 79, took shelter in her storm cellar when a massive tornado tore through the Blanchard area. When the cellar door flew...
Oklahoma tornadoes: How to help with relief efforts
05/27/2011 How to help with Oklahoma tornado relief
Oklahoma tornadoes: Love's makes donations to aid tornado victims
05/27/2011 $150,000 aimed at helping tornado victims in Missouri, Oklahoma
Oklahoma tornadoes: Death toll from tornadoes rises to 10; more victims identified
05/26/2011 Oklahoma tornadoes: A teenage girl and her boyfriend were among the deceased, along with a 3-year-old Piedmont boy whose body was found Thursday morning.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Body of missing Piedmont boy found in housing addition lake
05/26/2011 Oklahoma tornadoes: An emotional Hank Hamil, of Piedmont, talked about the loss of his sons. The body of Ryan Hamil, 3, was found Thursday morning in Falcon...
Oklahoma tornadoes: Thousands sought refuge in public buildings
05/26/2011 Tempers flared at some city-designated shelters in central Oklahoma, while more than 5,000 Edmond residents rode out Tuesday's storm in schools across the city.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Devon Energy plant idled by damage
05/26/2011 Devon Energy Corp. has shut down a natural gas processing plant damaged in Tuesday's tornado near Calumet.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Families talk about experience and plans
05/26/2011 The importance of family mentioned often.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Demand for shelters rises after storms
05/26/2011 Installers said more people are looking to put in storm shelters after a recent string of devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Television storm chaser loses vehicle windows
05/26/2011 Television storm chaser counts himself lucky to be alive.
Oklahoma tornadoes: TV stations make extensive plans for tornado coverage
05/26/2011 Television coverage helped warn Oklahoma residents well in advance of tornadoes.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Disaster relief efforts ongoing for tornado victims
05/26/2011 The American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma and other agencies offered food, shelter and other assistance to victims of Tuesday's deadly tornado outbreak.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Calumet and El Reno area residents clean up storm debris
05/26/2011 Small victories cheer Canadian County residents as they sift what's left of their home.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Trucker lives to tell tornado tale
05/26/2011 Jeremiah Morrison, 29, of McAlester, was filming the tornado when it changed directions and headed toward him. He got back in his truck and was tossed out...
Oklahoma tornadoes: Newcastle residents cope with devastation
05/26/2011 A Newcastle family fled to the cellar just seconds before a tornado destroyed their home, along with about 40 other homes. Then they had to push their way...
Storm tips for drivers
05/26/2011 National Weather Service officials recommend drivers get out of their vehicles if there is a tornado warning or a tornado is seen in the area.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Traffic congestion added to tornado hazards
05/26/2011 People in central Oklahoma hurried to take shelter Tuesday, causing problems on the roadways, including a death in Edmond. Officials recommend drivers get...
Oklahoma tornadoes: Piedmont boy, 3, still missing
05/26/2011 Oklahoma tornadoes: 3-year-old Ryan Hamil, of Piedmont, has been missing since Tuesday's tornado, and a search effort continues.
Oklahoma tornadoes: ‘Tens of millions of dollars' in insured losses from tornadoes
05/25/2011 An insurance industry spokesman estimates insured losses will be in the “tens of millions of dollars,” although final estimates won't be available for a...
Oklahoma tornadoes: How to help with relief efforts
05/26/2011 How to help with Oklahoma tornado relief
Oklahoma tornadoes: Chickasha historical book found in Midwest City
05/25/2011 After Tuesday's storms, a woman in Midwest City found a book from Chickasha in her yard, and she's looking for the owner.
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin declares emergency in wake of storms
05/25/2011 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin has declared a state of emergency for 68 Oklahoma counties after tornadoes raked across the state, destroying homes...
Oklahoma tornadoes: High winds could cause flying debris from Tuesday's storms
05/25/2011 Oklahoma tornadoes: High winds in Oklahoma could cause hazards Wednesday. Flying debris caused by Tuesday's storms is a concern.
Oklahoma tornadoes: 9 confirmed dead after storms
05/25/2011 The death toll from Tuesday's tornadoes in Oklahoma is nine. A child has died at a hospital. Searchers are still looking for a 3-year-old boy from Piedmont.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Guthrie man makes it to storm shelter just in time
05/24/2011 Tornado damages portions of Guthrie
Oklahoma tornadoes: Home shelter shields 14 from twister in Cole
05/24/2011 Fourteen children and adults survived a tornado east of Cole in a home shelter. The home, which was ripped from its foundation, housed a day care.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Goldsby sustains damage but has no reports of injuries
05/24/2011 One home was destroyed in Goldsby but there have been no reports of injuries, the city's Emergency Management director said.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Edmond woman dies driving to beat tornado
05/24/2011 Edmond police said a woman rushing to find shelter as tornadic weather approached crossed the centerline and hit a car head-on.
Oklahoma storms: Dozens injured, thousands without power in central Oklahoma
05/24/2011 At least 60 people have been injured and four dead in storms that moved through central Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon.
Oklahoma storms: Power off in Edmond homes
05/24/2011 Electrical service is off in 5,500 homes served by Edmond Electric, officials said.
Oklahoma tornadoes: Damage confirmed in El Reno
05/24/2011 Damage has been confirmed in El Reno area by the Department of Emergency Management, but reports are sketchy at this point.
Oklahoma storms: Tornado followed by flooding in Delaware County
05/24/2011 Oklahoma storms: Residents of southern Delaware County who were hit by a tornado Sunday are now struggling with flooding caused by the rain-swollen Illinois...
Oklahoma tornadoes: 8 dead, 60 injured
05/24/2011 Oklahoma tornadoes: Several large tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma on Tuesday afternoon. At least eight people are dead and 60 others injured.

“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.

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next