Heavy Rains Strand Campers At Turner Falls

Sunday, May 27th 2007, 7:20 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Heavy rains pounded Oklahoma Sunday, causing rain-swollen rivers and creeks to flood their banks and stranding hundreds of weekend campers at a popular central Oklahoma park.

About 1,500 campers at Turner Falls Park near Davis were stranded inside the park Sunday after flash flooding forced the closure of the only road leading into the campgrounds, park manager Tom Graham said.

``One minute it was OK, and 20 minutes later a wave came through and caused us to shut it down,'' Graham said Sunday. ``We started warning people yesterday evening that if they stayed, they may get flooded in.''

Graham said all the campers were safe and that no injuries were reported.

``They're just roaming around there in the camp sites, but they can't cross the road in their vehicles,'' he said. ``They can get out on foot bridges if someone wants to come and pick them up.''

A building inside the park was opened for rain-soaked campers to dry out, and the Red Cross delivered food and supplies, Graham said.

Graham said he expects the road leading to the park should be reopened by Monday afternoon.

``Right now it's just a waiting game.''

Nearby Pauls Valley received about 1 1/2 inches of rain in a 24-hour period from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, while Madill recorded 4.2 inches and Ardmore had 2.73 inches, said Chris Sohl, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norman.

He said more rain was expected overnight Sunday as a moist air mass remained in place over much of central Oklahoma.

In Carter County in south-central Oklahoma, one home was evacuated near Newport and roads were closed throughout the county, said Carter County dispatcher Tiffany Atnip.

``We had to get in there and get a couple and their animals out of their home,'' Atnip said.

She said authorities also evacuated several campers near the Washita River bridge on Highway 53.

``There were quite a few people camping out who just weren't aware of how bad the situation was,'' she said. ``There was at least one vehicle stuck down there.''

In Lawton, authorities rescued several stranded motorists Sunday morning as floodwaters rose in that city, according to the Comanche County Emergency Management Office.

Seven homes received water damage, including one that had 14 inches of standing water inside, but no evacuations were ordered, officials reported.

At state parks and lakes across southern Oklahoma, Memorial Day campers were treated to a soggy weekend, with many packing up and leaving early, said Ranger Justin Paul, who was working Sunday at Lake Murray State Park.

``They're not all leaving, but a good part of them are calling it quits, especially the tent campers,'' Paul said. ``The weather really didn't cooperate with them.''