Heavy rains wreak havoc

Local News

Discussion

May 4, 2009

By BOB GIBBINS The Tahlequah Daily Press Mon May 04, 2009, 09:22 AM CDT

Parts of northern Cherokee County were under water Saturday, but the area may have escaped more substantial damage as rain chances diminished from previous forecasts.

The Illinois River was expected to rise to nearly 13 feet by this morning, according to Friday prognostications, but Saturday predictions showed the river staying just under 10 feet today. The downpour created major problems on the north end of the county Friday.

Heavy rain was forecast for Saturday and Saturday night, with thunderstorms being likely today, although the chance of those storms lessened Saturday. Forecasters indicated they were a sure thing Friday, but listed the chances of heavy rain Saturday at 80 percent and the chance of thunderstorms at 60 percent today.

District 1 Commissioner Doug Hubbard and his crews were back on the job Saturday morning, trying to make roads in that district passable.

Tin horns were becoming clogged with debris, and Hubbard said a bridge over Double Springs Creek at Teresita had to be closed Friday.

Adjustments were also made to bridges on Iron Post Road and some other locations due to washouts.

“Some of the people up here are saying they haven’t ever seen it this bad, and they’ve lived here for years,” Hubbard said.

The commissioner said the floodwaters have also damaged some work he and his crew did in the Littlefield Slab area after floods ravaged that area last year. “It’s [damage at Littlefield Slab] about the same as last year,” Hubbard said. “It’s kind of hard to tell.”

Tahlequah-Cherokee County Emergency Management Director Gary Dotson said the local EM office received several reports of vehicles being swept off in the rushing waters. One report was in the Norwood area, but most were confined to the northern sections of the county.

Lowrey Fire Chief Larry Watts was leading some rescue efforts by helping residents in his coverage area find higher ground until the water recedes.

Dotson said the Illinois River Fire Department and Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission both offered the services of their air boats, if needed.

The Tahlequah city limits escaped the brunt of Friday’s storm after being hit hard April 18 by floodwaters.

State officials closed State Highway 10 for a period of time Friday, but reopened it to traffic later in the day. Hubbard said all of the slabs in his district had water running over them.

Text Only

Local News

Artistic wonders
Anthony Amason understands he sometimes has to push his students beyond their comfort zones so they’ll grow and become successful.

February 3, 2012 2 Photos
Matlock receives five years for rape
A former Tahlequah High School teacher and coach was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after pleading guilty to rape.

February 3, 2012
Some enrollment up; some down
As public schools in Oklahoma suffer further budget cuts , student enrollment continues to increase.

February 3, 2012 1 Photo
Deputy shoots, kills Norwood man
NORWOOD – A Cherokee County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a man Wednesday night after responding to a noise complaint near Norwood.

February 3, 2012
Plumb resigns as CNEC chairwoman
Cherokee Nation Election Commission Chairwoman Susan Plumb announced Thursday she would resign her position on the board, effective Tuesday, Feb. 14.

February 3, 2012
Bypass getting signals
After months of discussions between city and state officials, a Tahlequah intersection notorious for producing injury and fatality crashes is set to receive traffic lights.

February 2, 2012 1 Photo
Johnson seeks appeal of conviction
A Cherokee County man convicted last year of first-degree manslaughter is seeking an appeal.

February 2, 2012
Local opinion: Candidates deserve scrutiny
With the Republican nomination still up for grabs, campaigns of the remaining four men in the fray have called their competitors on the carpet about a number of issues – including releasing tax information, how much they give to charity, and sexual misconduct.

February 2, 2012
Area Tolkien fans eagerly await ‘The Hobbit’
A children’s fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, titled, “The Hobbit,” was published on Sept. 21, 1937. The book followed the journey of a pint-sized humanoid named Bilbo Baggins on his quest to snatch a treasure from Smaug the dragon.

February 2, 2012
Life enrichment
Whether it’s sports, dance, cooking or computers, lifelong learning programs enrich lives and can advance careers.

February 1, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

Last year, Cherokee County was hit with severe snowstorms in the winter, followed by devastating floods in the spring. What have you done to protect your property, in case it happens again?

Local News

Search Results

Discussion

Heavy rains wreak havoc

Last year, Cherokee County was hit with severe snowstorms in the winter, followed by devastating floods in the spring. What have you done to protect your property, in case it happens again?

Site Map

Contact Us