Okmulgee County declares disaster emergency after flooding

Okmulgee County officials have declared a disaster emergency due to widespread flooding and infrastructure damage caused by recent heavy rains.

All county district crews are working to make emergency repairs to damaged roadways and infrastructure, according to Okmulgee County Emergency Management. Officials say damage assessments have already exceeded the county’s disaster threshold.

The department posted a statement saying:

"Under the Robert T. Stafford Act, The Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003 and Title 63 of Oklahoma Statutes informed the County Commissioners that we are declaring a Disaster Emergency due to flooding for Okmulgee County and requested an emergency meeting for tomorrow morning at 8am at the Okmulgee County Emergency Operations Center located at 110 N. Alabama Ave in Okmulgee for the Commisioners to vote on the Emergency Declaration."

The declaration is the first step in requesting state and federal assistance for recovery efforts related to the flooding.

Emergency Management officials thanked residents for their patience and for reporting washed-out roads and high water, saying the reports help guide response and damage assessments.

The emergency meeting is set to begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, May 2.

Additionally, the county said they sent a water trailer to Hominy, Oklahoma, where residents are without water following a major water line break that disrupted the city’s water treatment facility.

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