OKEMAH, Okla. — While the May 19 storm did not destroy any homes or injure anyone in Okemah, a building housing a valued non-profit took devastating damage.
KI BOIS Area Transit Service, or KATS, moved into its Okemah office in August 2024 with a new roof and interior ceiling. The group buses around one hundred rural, senior, and disabled residents around the town each week.
WATCH: 'Just crazy': Okemah non-profit loses new roof in May 19 storm
The non-profit's building on Fourth Street is now without more than half of its roof and most of its ceilings.
Route supervisor Sonja Sjurcet showed 2 News the inside on May 21, pointing out the smell the water has created since blowing in during the storm.
Sjurset recalled seeing the storm approaching and calling all drivers back to base.
"They all made it in safe," Sjurcet said. "And while they were coming in, that's when all of the water started pouring in. And it was just crazy."
Okemah city manager Kristy Lesley said she can't remember the last time the hometown of Woody Guthrie ever took damage so severe.
It's also not believed that a tornado actually hit the town.
"As the story goes, Chief Okemah buried an ax and it splits all the storms that come through town," Lesley told 2 News. "And we've been very, very fortunate. But this was - this was odd."
Three other buildings also spilled debris. A vacant building on First Street in downtown has since forced a road closure.
"The building was not in good condition. The roof had collapsed on it last year," Lesley added. "We gave (the owner) notice that something needed to be done."
With the KATS office in a state of ruin and without electricity, landlord and city councilor Brandon Anderson has lended another one of his buildings to temporarily house its staff. Sjurset said that's all they need, as rides have not stopped and phone service is expected to be restored May 22.
"Don't lose faith! And our people wouldn't," Sjurset said. "They know us."
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