A near drowning, two house fires caused by lightning, county roads washed out, Easter Egg festivities forced indoors and widespread flooding created chaos in the county last week.
Not to mention stolen road signs.
“Someone stole eight of my ‘road closed’ signs,” said District 3 County Commissioner Bobby Ziegler during the commissioners’ weekly meeting Monday.
Perhaps a missing sign was the cause of a motorist needing to be rescued from a swollen stream Sunday.
During his report to the commissioners, McIntosh County Emergency Management Director Leslie Phillips said the driver of a pickup became stranded in a low water crossing south of Vernon.
“He was there for about 30 minutes before we could get him out,” Phillips said.
More rain is expected later this week, and next.
“But it shouldn’t be as stormy,” he said.
During three days of heavy rain, between 4 and 7 inches of rain fell throughout the county.
“Roads were washed out all over the county,” he said.
Saturday, lightning struck two residences and caused some fire damage.
“I haven’t been told about any serious injuries,” Phillips said.
Sunday morning, a strong wind blew the roofs off two sheds on the property of Jimmy Pich at the northeast corner of SH9 and Coon Creek Road.
According to the National Weather Service, McIntosh County can expect: Thursday, April 24: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday, April 25: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday, April 26: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. North wind around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Sunday, April 27: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Easter holiday weekend at least three died as severe weather tore across parts of Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri.
Police in Moore reported that around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, two vehicles were stranded in floodwaters, and one was swept under a bridge. They said all but two people were rescued.
The victims were identified as 44-year-old Erika Lott and her 12-year-old son, River Bond.
In a news release police described the flooding as a “historical weather event” that resulted in dozens of high-water incidents across the city. They also thanked neighboring agencies for their help in the rescue efforts and stated, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims.”
Another person died after a tornado touched downabout80milesaway in Spaulding. Hughes County Emergency Management said two others were injured as the twister destroyed at least two homes and several other small structures.
The National Weather Service recorded 17 tornado reports by early Sunday morning across Oklahoma and Texas.
A tornado took down trees and power lines and damaged buildings in Ada, Oklahoma. Just last month, an EF-1 tornado struck before dawn, carving a 4-mile path through Ada. At least two dozen families were displaced.
This time around, the worst damage seemed to be on the north side of town, where some businesses at a shopping center were ripped apart.
