Death Toll Rises As Oklahoma Recovers From Flooding

Friday, August 24th 2007, 1:57 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The state Medical Examiner's office officially attributed the death of a high school long-distance runner to drowning Friday, bringing to seven the number of people who have drowned in flooded areas of the state since record rainfall Sunday.

The body of 17-year-old Phillip Jones was recovered from rain-swollen Lake Overholser on Thursday, one day after he was swept away while trying to cross a flooded trail.

``It's a devastating situation, not just for the victims and their families but for the state of Oklahoma,'' said Michelann Ooten, the agency's spokeswoman.

Ooten said Jones' death several days after the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin dumped up to 11 inches of rain on the region reflects the severity of flooding that inundated homes, businesses and roadways.

``It's truly a tragedy. It's a sadness for all of us,'' Ooten said.

Only one person, an 80-year-old Lincoln County man, drowned following weeks of rainfall and widespread flooding in the state in June and July, authorities said.

Jones disappeared on Wednesday when he and other members of the Putnam City West High School track team were on one of their regular runs and found a trail around the lake under water waist-deep, authorities said.

They tried to swim to the other side, but the current dragged them into deeper water and Jones was not able to make it out, officials said. Two other boys managed to climb out of the lake.

Six other drowning victims of Sunday's storm were previously identified as:

Billie Sue Curtis, 67, of Seminole, who drowned after floodwaters hit her car.

Donita Horse, 76, Helen Rae Horse, 37, both of Carnegie, and Rose Saddleblanket, 17, of Americus, Ga., whose vehicle was swept from a flooded roadway.

Bernard Ward, 52, whose body was discovered about 14 miles west of Kingfisher after floodwaters knocked his vehicle from a highway.

A rural Fort Cobb woman who was discovered drowned in her cellar after floodwaters inundated her home.

In addition to the drowning deaths, two Watonga residents were injured when their home was destroyed by straight line winds or a possible tornado, officials said.

Watonga Municipal Hospital experienced three times its normal patient load following Sunday's storm, when about 14 patients came in, said Richard Carter, chief of staff and a doctor at the hospital.

``We had enough beds for that many patients, but we had to do some rearranging to accommodate everyone,'' Carter said. So many people were coming to the emergency room, he said, hospital staff had to turn away some with minor injuries.

``We did triage on the patients to assess the extent of their injuries, and if they were minor, we released them and told them to go see their physician the next day,'' Carter said. ``We had to work quickly to figure out who needed the most immediate attention.''

Flood waters have receded in many areas, but 24 Oklahoma counties remain under a state of emergency declared by Governor Brad Henry.

Henry has asked for a federal disaster declaration for three of the hardest hit counties; Blaine, Caddo and Kingfisher. The governor's office said more counties could be added to the request as additional damage assessments are completed.

If approved, storm victims will be eligible for assistance for housing repairs or temporary housing, low-interest loans for individuals and businesses to repair or replace damaged property, disaster unemployment assistance and grants for a variety of needs.

Emergency response teams will begin surveying damage to roads, bridges and other public facilities on Tuesday, OEM officials said. They will also assess costs associated with responding to the disaster.

Forecasters said a cold front was expected to bring more showers and thunderstorms to the state on Saturday. A stronger front forecast to reach the state by Wednesday is expected to bring another chance of showers and thunderstorms.