Haskell County faces aftershock of flooding

The Haskell County area is clearing debris and flood damage after heavy rainfall last week.
Several roads in the county were flooded on Friday, May 15 as heavy rainfall fell, explained District 2 County Commissioner Sandra Zachry.
Lequire was one of the areas hardest hit, with more than six inches of rain falling in about an hour and a half in Lequire.
Taloka Creek was out of its banks, with about five feet of water covering the roadway, Zachry explained.
Flooding also occurred on portions of many roadways, including Fish Creek Road, Airport Road and state Highway 82
Several homes in Stigler and other areas in the county were also flooded, she said.
District 2 crews were called out on Friday to put up barriers on flooded roadways and begin the process of repairing washed out bridges and other damage.
Zachry said repairs of the damage caused by flooding should be completed in about a week.
Haskell County Sheriff’s Office assisted more than 10 motorists who were stranded after driving into flood waters, explained Sheriff Tim Turner. Children were in several of the vehicles.
Turner said motorists should turn around if they see water over roads. It is impossible to see what is under the flood water and “once it takes control of your car, it’s a rescue at that point,” he said.
While the amount of rainfall that fell in the county the past few days varied, the Oklahoma Mesonet recorded a total of 4.82 inches of rain in Stigler the past seven days, and a total of 7.12 inches for the month of May. The year-to-date rainfall total is 27.31 inches.
The chances of thunderstorms with additional rainfall are included in the forecast for the area for the next several days, according to the National Weather Service.

Staff report

Photo by Sandra Zachry
Flooding resulted in the closure of this Taloka Creek Road on May 15.