Heavy weather over the weekend has left parts of Oklahoma facing dangerous flooding, and the state has now moved to a formal emergency footing. The conditions across eastern Oklahoma were serious enough to prompt action at the highest level of state government. What began as a weekend of storms turned into a widening recovery effort.
At the centre of the response is the governor's declaration. Governor Kevin Stitt issued a disaster emergency order for parts of eastern Oklahoma, including Tulsa County. The order formally recognises the scale of the flooding and clears the way for state support in the affected communities.
The damage on the ground has been significant. According to the account of the flooding, homes have been damaged as the water moved through neighbourhoods in the affected zone. The harm to people's properties underlined how disruptive the flooding has been for residents.
Getting around has also become difficult and at times dangerous. The flooding caused road closures across the area and triggered several water rescues, as emergency crews reached people caught out by the rising water. Those rescues pointed to just how quickly conditions had deteriorated.
The governor addressed the situation directly in a statement. Stitt said that state and local emergency managers continue to assess the damage after the significant flooding in eastern Oklahoma. His words signalled that the full extent of the impact was still being measured even as the emergency order took effect.
Stitt also turned attention to those leading the response. He thanked the first responders who are working quickly to clear roads and keep Oklahomans safe. With crews still active in the affected counties, the focus remained on protecting residents and restoring access while the assessment of the flooding continues.