MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Muskogee residents living in low-lying areas are being asked to evacuate Wednesday as water continues to rise from the Arkansas River.
Officials are on patrol Wednesday night, quickly shutting down roads as they become flooded. Highway 16 was underwater in parts by late afternoon, after it only held puddles this morning.
Flood waters are rising quickly, and incoming storms along with the releases from the Keystone Dam, flood projections jumped 12 feet by morning. That has forced people in those areas to pack up and leave. Stephen Snow, who were able to make it out this morning, with some help from their neighbors.
"We worked real late, I didn’t get finished until about 4:30 a.m.,” Snow said. “Getting the last bit of stuff out and the animals, and I’m just so thankful that there’s people out there that helped, and when you’re in need, they come and help you.”
Snow and his family came back here Wednesday to see if the water had gotten to his home, but they weren’t able to make it all the way down.
His house is on the other side of some trees, and while we can’t see it right now with how high the water has gotten, it’s not looking promising.
The Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office is sending out a dozen units tonight to set up ad monitor barricades. They’re working with several other departments, including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and EMSA, which are stationed in areas that could be isolated due to flooding.
Officials say they’re taking several precautions from lessons learned in 1986.
“Up until the forecast today with severe weather, this was just another incident where the river was rising, coming out of its banks, where in ’86 was a flash flood event,” Muskogee County Emergency Director Jeff Smith said. “Depending on how much rain we get with the next round of storms, we could also be looking at a flash flood event with the river flooding.”
Barges at the Port of Muskogee got loose earlier today and had to be reeled in, which caused the Highway 62 bridge over the Arkansas River to close for a while.
Sheriff Rob Frazier said officers have had to issue warnings and even tickets for drivers going around barricades and they’re ready to issue more or take drivers to jail for doing so.
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