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'It's God's will' — flooding forces families from homes in Fort Gibson, complicates power restoration

Posted at 12:33 PM, May 24, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-24 13:36:24-04

FORT GIBSON, Okla. — While crews are working to get power back to some areas, others are trying to move to higher ground, including a family trying to save what they can.

In Fort Gibson, residents have been without power since Thursday afternoon. On Friday morning, airboats have been ferrying crews to the nearby power plant, 2 Works For You reporters learned.

At the Grand River Bridge, water is just about to hit the bottom of the roadway, and is now threatening homes.

Jerry Jackson and his wife thought they could ride out the rising waters until Friday morning. Relatives, friends and members of their church showed up with boats to help them get their belongings out of the house, including a 50-inch television.

Jackson said the house survived the flood of 1986, but is sure that this time around, it'll get wiped out.

“It's sad in a way, but you know, it's God's will,” Jackson said. “We do what we have to do. It's not the end of the world. We'll buy another house. We can do what we need to do.”

Because that area isn't in a floodplain, homeowners, including Jackson, don't have flood insurance.

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