New Orleans evacuees arrive at Oklahoma National Guard base near Muskogee

Friday, September 2nd 2005, 5:46 pm

By: News On 6

BRAGGS, Okla. (AP) -- Emergency officials says 39 bus loads of evacuees from the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast region arrived at Camp Gruber, an Oklahoma National Guard barracks located southeast of Muskogee.

Tulsa Red Cross spokeswoman Nellie Kelly says the buses loaded with weary Hurricane Katrina survivors -- many from hard-hit New Orleans -- began arriving at about 10 PM Saturday.

An exact count wasn't available early Sunday morning, but officials say they're prepared for about 2,000 evacuees.

Meanwhile, preparations are being made to house as many as 3,000 additional evacuees at the Falls Creek Baptist Convention Center near Davis, Oklahoma.

A spokesman for the governor's office says the 360-acre Falls Creek camp should be ready to house hurricane survivors by Monday.