Governor Issues Statewide Emergency Declaration

Tuesday, May 8th 2007, 6:30 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Governor Brad Henry declared a state of emergency Tuesday as torrential rains fell on top of already soaked areas of Oklahoma that have been battered by tornadoes and flooding during a prolonged spring storm.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings and watches for counties across the state, while another large line of thunderstorms pushed into southwest Oklahoma early Tuesday afternoon.

``Pretty much all the major rivers, particularly in central Oklahoma, are either near bank conditions or coming out of their banks due to massive runoff from heavy rains the last couple of days,'' said Forrest Mitchell, a forecaster for the NWS in Norman. ``Any additional rainfall is only going to aggravate our situation, because the ground is already saturated.''

Some of the worst flooding was expected on the North Canadian River east of Oklahoma City, which was expected to crest Tuesday evening, and it's possible some residents who live by the river near the towns of Jones and Spencer would need to be evacuated, Mitchell said.

The governor's emergency declaration, which covers all 77 counties, provides a mechanism for local governments to seek reimbursement for recovery costs through the state's disaster public assistance program if conditions warrant.

It also serves as a prelude to a federal disaster request, should one be necessary.

``It is still far too early to say whether damages in the state will be eligible for federal assistance, but this is the first step in case of that eventuality,'' Henry said.

The State Emergency Operations Center has been activated due to the severe weather threat and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management remains in contact with emergency managers in affected areas.

In northeast Oklahoma, at least half a dozen swollen rivers and creeks were expected to crest Tuesday or Wednesday, as the weather service there maintained a flash flood watch for nearly all of eastern Oklahoma until Wednesday night.

Near Collinsville, the Caney River was expected to crest Wednesday afternoon, with moderate flooding expected. Polecat Creek near Sapulpa was expected to crest Wednesday, but in Jenks, forecasters were expecting the creek to stay just below flood stage.

The Deep Fork River near Beggs and the Verdigris River near Lenapah were both expected to crest by Thursday, causing moderate flooding, the weather service said.

Some bridges and sections of roads and highways across the state were shut down because of high water, but all major interstates remained open Tuesday, the OHP reported.

Officials warned motorists to exercise extra caution when driving on rain-soaked roadways, especially at night.

``One foot of flowing water can cause a vehicle to lose its traction with the road, and at night it's even harder to judge what's happening,'' Mitchell said. ``I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous it is to drive into water, even if it's an urban street.''

At least one fatality has been blamed on the severe weather _ a Canute man who drowned Sunday night after his car was swept off a Washita County road during a thunderstorm, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.