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Thousands In Oklahoma Flooded Or Without Power

August 14, 2017
By The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City
Nov. 29--Residents of western and central Oklahoma were in the dark for much of Saturday as an ice storm worked its way through the state.

Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. reported more than 78,000 power outages across the state Saturday afternoon, with more than 32,000 reported outages in Oklahoma City. OG&E reported 92 crews were working to restore power across their service area.

The National Weather Service issued an ice storm warning for parts of central Oklahoma through Sunday. Caddo, Canadian, and Oklahoma counties were listed under the warning, which was set to expire at noon on Sunday.

The weather service reported temperatures would remain at or below freezing in the affected counties through Sunday morning.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation reported roads in central and western Oklahoma were slick throughout Saturday and were expected to remain hazardous overnight and into Sunday.

Downed power lines and broken tree branches blocked roads, while flooding in southern and eastern Oklahoma shut down several highways.

The west- and eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 near Mustang and northbound lane of the Kilpatrick Turnpike near Yukon were shut down part of the morning due to downed power lines in the roadways.

Parts of southeastern Oklahoma had received more than seven inches of rain since Thursday, with Hugo reporting more than nine inches and Antlers more than seven inches.

State Highway 131, three miles west of U.S. 69 near Wardville, SH 80, three miles west of Hulbert, SH 77 at the Lake Murray Spillway in Love County, State Highway 31 west of McAlester, and SH 63 between Hartshorne and Blanco were closed Saturday due to flooding.

Oklahoma City firefighters responded throughout the day to 112 calls of downed power lines across the metro and 14 house fires were reported since midnight Saturday. Most of the house fires were small, and many were started by power lines, Oklahoma City Fire Department spokesman Benny Fulkerson said.

"Many lines involved trees and leaves on fire and what have you," Fulkerson said. "Two house fires started due to the weight of icy power lines. A firefighter sustained a leg injury on one of those fires and was transported."

To help those affected by the widespread outages, the American Red Cross opened a warming station in Oklahoma City at the First United Methodist Church, 131 NW 4, and another in El Reno at Jenks Simmons Field House, 211 North Country Club Road.

Contributing: Staff Writers Josh Wallace and Robert Medley

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Copyright 2015 The Oklahoman