Following a week of severe storms that included flooding rains and tornadoes, Gov. Kevin Stitt amended an executive order he originally signed earlier this month to include all 77 counties. That includes Cleveland, which has been impacted by some flooding an an EF-1 tornado in east Norman.
Originally, the state of emergency was established for 52 counties on May 1. Stitt added 14 counties a week later.
On Thursday night, tornadoes ravaged parts of Northwest Oklahoma, damaging at least two homes in the Laverne area. That followed tornadoes on Wednesday night near Mulhall and Crescent, north of Oklahoma City.
That's not to mention the flooding that has been the worst in northern parts of the state, particularly Cimarron City, Muskogee and Webber Falls. Houses along the flooded Cimarron River have been swept away, while two barges were pulled loose by raging waters on the Arkansas River, plowed into the Webber Dam and sank.
Flood waters have also kept damage assessments from being completed.
To help with assessments, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is encouraging residents to report any damage to Damage.ok.gov. Damage to homes, businesses or agricultural land can be reported online.
Officials also encouraged residents to donate to local, reputable volunteer organizations to help with the cleanup.
———
©2019 the Tahlequah Daily Press (Tahlequah, Okla.)
Visit the Tahlequah Daily Press (Tahlequah, Okla.) at www.tahlequahdailypress.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.