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Amid flooding worries, more rain is on the way in Oklahoma
(BY AARON CRESPO)
Published: May 5, 2009
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Emergency managers from across the state are surveying damage from flooding after a week of heavy rain.

Their efforts may be challenged by more rain expected today.

"In a lot of areas across the state, the local emergency managers are gathering initial damage reports,” said Michelann Ooten, spokeswoman for the state Department of Emergency Management. "We have to wait for the floodwaters to recede, and then we have to wait for the mud to take care of itself or more vehicles will get stuck. It’s just a little early in some of these areas.”

Showers and thunderstorms were expected to develop late Monday over western areas of the state and could evolve into a larger thunderstorm complex by this morning, the National Weather Service said. More thunderstorms are expected to form late this afternoon and tonight. Some storms may be severe.

Flood-producing rain is most likely this evening in an area roughly from Oklahoma City to Durant and from Lawton to Ada. The weather service issued a flash flood watch for south-central through east-central Oklahoma effective through Wednesday morning.

Assess and repair In Love County, where some areas have received nearly 13 inches of rain, Sheriff Joe Russell said "We’ve got some roads washed out all over the county, and some water lines broke. I think they’ve got water, but they’re having to boil it.”

Love County Emergency Manager Tracey Smithwick said he still is assessing the damage, but knows it was a sinkhole in the Falconhead Resort/Burneyville area that broke the water line.

In the northeast, water mains damaged by weekend flooding were repaired Monday, starting water restoration for Locust Grove in Mayes County, Fire Chief Robert Foreman said. More than 8 inches of rain fell on the Pryor area in two days, washing out pipes that carried the water supply, Foreman said. Claremore received at least 5 inches of rain.

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