Storm creates more flooding woes

By Keith Purtell
Phoenix Staff Writer

June 10, 2008 06:12 am

— Heavy rains Monday brought flooding to the Muskogee area, although conditions are expected to ease by mid-week.
Eugene Blankenship, director of Muskogee County Emergency Management, said he and his staff were driving throughout the county surveying conditions in hopes of keeping the public safe.
“Several county roads are experiencing flash flooding; all the way from Haskell to Porum,” he said. “County crews are working as hard as they can to put up ‘Road Closed’ signs where needed.”
Blankenship said the nature of the rainfall that moved into the area made flooding worse.
“It’s because we’re getting a large amount of rain in a short amount of time,” he said. “It doesn’t help that it hits hard, then dies off for a little while, then hits hard again.”
And it’s not just county roads that are dangerous. Blankenship said there are low spots in Muskogee that are chronically flooded.
“I hope that people will exercise caution on the roads,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some streets in town got up to two foot of water across them.”
Muskogee Public Works Director Mike Stewart said he surveyed city streets with Jimmy Moore, the city’s emergency management director, and Jim Wixom, superintendent of public works.
“We put up high water signs at the intersection of Burbank and Gulick and on South Cherokee Street,” he said.
Stewart said other city streets seemed to be in safe condition.
“Everything else looks good,” he said. “Right now, we’re experiencing a slow, moderate rain. I expect it will remain that way throughout the afternoon.”
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation at 10 a.m. Monday issued a road closing update for Cherokee County: North and southbound Oklahoma 80 between Hulbert and the Wildwood camp grounds were closed due to high water.

Road information

For current road conditions, call the Road Conditions Hotline at (888) 425-2385.

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