Plains Floods Strand Over One Thousand Campers in Oklahoma
Pastor Dale Morgan
Plains Floods Strand Over One Thousand Campers in Oklahoma*
May 28, 2007
OKLAHOMA CITY — Heavy rains pounded central Oklahoma on Sunday, sending
swollen rivers and creeks over their banks and stranding hundreds of
campers who came for the holiday weekend at a popular park.
About 1,500 campers at Turner Falls Park near Davis were stuck with
their vehicles Sunday after flash flooding forced the closure of the
only road leading into the campgrounds, park manager Tom Graham said. No
injuries were reported.
"One minute it was OK, and 20 minutes later a wave came through and
caused us to shut it down," Graham said. "We started warning people
yesterday evening that if they stayed, they may get flooded in."
It was possible for campers to get out on foot bridges, Graham said. A
building inside the park was opened for rain-soaked campers to dry out,
and the Red Cross delivered food and supplies.
The road could remain shut until Monday afternoon.
Nearby Madill recorded 4.2 inches of rain in a 24-hour period from
Saturday evening to Sunday evening, said Chris Sohl, a meteorologist
with the National Weather Service in Norman. More rain was expected
overnight Sunday.
In south-central Oklahoma, one home was evacuated near Newport and roads
were closed throughout the county, Carter County dispatcher Tiffany
Atnip said. She said authorities also evacuated several campers near the
Washita River.
In Lawton, authorities rescued several stranded motorists Sunday morning
as floodwaters rose in that city, according to the Comanche County
Emergency Management Office.
In Hutchinson, Kan., workers at the Hutchinson Zoo were trying to clean
up from flooding late last week. The zoo has been closed since Thursday
after more than 7 inches of rain fell Wednesday night and flooded a pond
just outside the zoo. About 25 animals were evacuated.
Zoo personnel were using boats to get to bison congregating in a dry
spot in their enclosure, zoo Director Charlotte Poepperling said.
Workers were able to pump water from a birds of prey exhibit and the
birds perched in dry areas.
The zoo's water-loving otters remained in their soggy exhibit, but staff
had to wear rubber boots to reach them. A tunnel designed to give
children a closer look at the zoo's prairie dogs was filled with water.
"I'm hoping that within a couple of weeks we can be back in business,"
Poepperling said.
In Killeen, Texas, two men whose vehicles were swept away by rising
flood waters were presumed dead, which would bring the death toll from
the flooding there to seven.
Edgar Garcia, 22, disappeared three days earlier near Fredricksburg when
the current swept away his sport utility vehicle. Authorities suspended
their search for 50-year-old Scottie Gjedrem late Saturday, saying there
was nowhere left to search. Gjedrem was moving his friend's sports car
Thursday night when water from a nearby swollen creek swept it away,
Killeen police said.
Much of central Texas remained under a flash flood warning through
Sunday night. Parts of north Texas were under a flash flood watch until
Monday afternoon.