Flood Tragedy and Severe Storms in Central Oklahoma
Flooding events recorded in large numbers during extraordinary weather conditions encountered in Oklahoma
Let's dive into the wild weather we've been witnessing in the South! Central Oklahoma's been hit by a brutal double whammy: a deadly flood and some severe storms that have left a 12-year-old boy and a woman dead, and at least a dozen homes damaged or destroyed.
Moore, a city about 10 miles south of Oklahoma City, has been dealing with "dozens of high-water incidents," as the police describe this as a "historical weather event." The intense storms that swept through the area Sunday morning have caused vehicles to be washed away and trapped in high water.
The vehicle carrying the woman and the boy was unfortunately swept into a creek and became lodged against a drainage pipe. Tragically, the two were missing when rescuers arrived, but were eventually found after an extensive search by Moore police and neighboring agencies. A third person managed to escape and was rushed to the hospital in serious condition.
Things took a miraculous turn for a father and son who were in a separate vehicle that was also swept away at around the same time. Despite the harrowing circumstances, both were able to make it to safety. In a twist of fate, their vehicle briefly ended up on top of the family of three's vehicle.
Earlier on Saturday night, Moore police were dealing with more than a dozen calls for help from residents whose vehicles were stuck in high water. Police warned that water levels were "significantly higher than we've seen in recent years," and that large debris remains on the roads even after the flooding has receded.
The flood is just one part of the severe weather that's been affecting several states in the South. Tornado and flood warnings were issued for several counties in Texas and Oklahoma overnight, and as of early Sunday morning, there were already 16 reported tornadoes, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
The threat of tornadoes could increase on Sunday as the storms continue their eastward movement. Over 20 million people, ranging from Illinois all the way down to Louisiana, including cities like St. Louis, Memphis, Little Rock, and Shreveport, could be facing severe storms.
This dangerous weather situation has continued into Easter Sunday, with millions of people under flood watches until Sunday evening across parts of six states, from Texas to Arkansas and up to Illinois. A flash flood warning is currently in effect in parts of central Missouri until 7 p.m. CT.
The weekend rain is expected to total 2 to 3 inches in affected areas, with more than 5 inches possible in isolated locations. Despite this weather event being west of the hardest-hit regions along the Mississippi River from two weeks ago, the ground remains waterlogged in many of these places due to earlier storms this month, so it doesn't take much to cause flooding.
CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar contributed to this report. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the safety and well-being of everyone affected by this ongoing situation.
- Koco, an affiliate of CNN, has been providing weather-forecasting updates as Central Oklahoma continues to experience severe weather, including floods and storms.
- In the aftermath of the flood, many vehicles were found either damaged or completely swept away, a stark testimony to the power of the water.
- Weather-forecasting data showed that the levels of water in this flood were significantly higher than what had been seen in recent years, posing a serious challenge.
- Despite the tragic incidents, such as the loss of a 12-year-old boy and a woman, we, as a community, are collectively carrying on, hoping for safer weather conditions in the days ahead.
