MAY 24, 2015
An Oklahoma firefighter was killed attempting a water rescue
and about 350 homes were underwater in a small Texas town as a large part of
the central and southern Plains states remained under a flash
flood watch today following a day of powerful storms.
In Claremore, Oklahoma, about 30 miles northeast of Tulsa, a
firefighter was killed when he was swept away while attempting a water rescue,
said the Rogers County Sheriff's Office. The storms also forced the evacuation
of the Rocklahoma music festival in Pryor, about 50 miles west of Tulsa.
Three to six inches of rain fell in the Oklahoma City metro
area, which has had the rainiest 40 days and 40 nights in that city’s history
as 20.46 inches have fallen.
Flooding on 23rd in OKC #okwx @NWSNorman pic.twitter.com/Y6mi1UZ9l6
— Nathanael Callon (@claw484) May 23, 2015
The National Weather Service said major flooding continued
along the Blanco River near Wimberley, Texas, about 40 miles southwest of
Austin and 63 miles northeast of San Antonio. Rescues were ongoing in the area,
where more than 9 inches of rain was reported as the Blanco River rose 35 feet
within a few hours Saturday.
@KVUE @AndrewRudansky also blanco River
by San Marcos and I-35 pic.twitter.com/pBFM34Yo3x
— Michael Stephens (@impickinuoff) May 24, 2015
More rain was expected today for areas east of Interstate 35
in the Southern Plains with the rainfall lasting into Memorial
Day. There was also the possibility of some brief tornadoes, with the
threat area from Springfield, Missouri, to Shreveport, Louisiana.