Muskogee County Issues State Of Emergency Ahead Of Severe Weather

Muskogee County declared a state of emergency because of the forecasted severe weather.

One of the main areas of concern is near Webbers Falls where there could be some serious flooding.

One road is already blocked and some people are afraid that water could overtake their homes and cause severe damage.

Mary Taber-Lake of Webbers Falls recounts the flooding she and her husband went through last year.

"It was frightening because I never seen anything like that. We didn't know if it was gonna come all the way up to the highway or what, but that's why it's frightening," Taber-Lake said.

She said, thankfully, the water didn't get in their house, but, never the less she is nervous about what the next 24 hours may bring.

"We’re putting the RV across the street, which we own that too, but in case it does so we'll have a place. You know we don't know, we don't know the length of it, we don't know what's gonna happen, it’s just frightening,” she said.

Muskogee County EMA said the state of emergency was made because it allows them to assist residents faster. They have sandbags ready and will communicate with the surrounding areas.

The big question at hand is exactly how much and where the rain is going to occur in northeastern Oklahoma.

"The problem we're looking at right now is most of our creeks, streams and rivers are already saturated with the rains that happened up north. They've been full for a while, so when you start dumping more rain on top of that it’s not gonna take long to see effects from it,” said Jeff Smith with Muskogee County EMA.

Smith said they've got their own storm spotters ready to go while also keeping an eye on the severe weather.

In the meantime, Taber-Lake said she and her husband are going to wait it out and keep a watchful eye.

"At night you can’t see where that water is, and it could get you really quick, and it’s scary,” she said.

With the possibility of flooding across much of eastern Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, the Red Cross said it’s getting ready to help people in need.