Storms Damage Boat Slips At Keystone Lake

Craig Day, News On 6

KEYSTONE LAKE, Oklahoma -- Monday's sudden storms brought some much needed rain, but also damaging winds.

At one point more than 60,000 people were without power across Oklahoma as the strong storms left damage behind. Some communities saw wind gusts of 80 miles per hour and even one gust recorded at 96 miles per hour.

8/8/2011 Related Story: Storms Bring Rain, Damaging Winds To Parts Of Oklahoma

While any rain is welcome, the wind wore out its welcome and wore out part of the Keyport Marina on Keystone Lake.

"Out of the blue," Jack Tucker said.

Out of the blue, a sudden downburst destroyed a boat slip packed with 40 boats. One of them is owned by Brad Smith. He knew of the possibility of storms, but never expected this to happen.

"It's pretty significant," Smith said. "Looks like our boat is right in the middle of it; sitting at a 45 degree angle."

"We had one dock completely missing and upside down and about ten or twelve boats out in the harbor," Tucker said.

Several other docks weren't damaged at all. But some of the boats in the damaged slip are now upside down and about a half dozen are under water.

Barnacle Bill's Marina on the west side of Lake Tenkiller also has damage. One of the owners told News On 6 a boathouse flipped over on its side and collapsed. Four of the 30 boats in that dock have damage.

The marina is still open for business.

Winds up to 85 miles per hour also downed power lines in Okmulgee County. Crews had to shut down roads in the area to make repairs.

The wind also caused problems in other areas of Green Country.

Darren Stevens is a storm spotter for News on 6. The storm found him this time, damaging the roof of his barn near Haskell.

"I was watching the weather yesterday morning I told my wife we're probably going to get some rain from this," he said. "I wasn't expecting a wind event."

He estimates the wind speed at nearly 80 miles an hour.

"When the wind came last night, it kind of stood it straight up in the air and bent it and crumpled it all up," he said.

Stevens says it could be worse, like last spring when a tornado destroyed another of his barns. This time, he'll have to replace the metal sheeting on the roof, but the frame is intact.