Published: September 11, 2009 02:51 pm      

Water rescues at Salina

Salina residents had a feeling of deja vu after a rainstorm crossed Mayes County Wednesday night.

The storm hovered over Salina approximately 9 p.m., dumping three to six inches of rain within an hour’s time.

Mayes County Emergency Management Director Johnny Janzen said the storm “sat over the top of Salina” and areas north and east of the town.

“It just poured,” said Janzen.

Areas north and east of town received six inches of rain, while three inches fell in town.

County deputies and fire departments closed Highway 82 and Kenwood Road as water rose and covered the roads. Janzen said the flooding rendered several side roads impassable.

Eight to nine vehicles became trapped in the high water. Janzen said some motorists had to wait for an hour until the water receded.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been working to put a new culvert in on East 490 Road, just north of the Salina football field. Janzen said the floodwater ripped the road away, collapsing the culvert. Janzen witnessed the loss of the tin horns, which “took off down the creek at 20 miles an hour.”

Aaron Hudson, with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, was on site Thursday assessing the damage.

“We’re waiting on another pipe to arrive so we can put in a temporary road. That’s so the people who live down there will have access to their homes,” he said.

Hudson said the tin horns washed away in the current. One could be seen a quarter mile downstream.

The rest of it, according to Hudson, was on down around the bend. The temporary road was to be completed by day’s end on Thursday, if everything went according to plan, Hudson said.

One home lost a propane tank, which was also washed downstream.

Janzen said Salina had a lot of help from emergency personnel. Units responding included Salina Fire and Police Departments, Spavinaw Fire Department, Grand River Dam Authority Lake Patrol, Mayes County deputies, and Pryor Fire Department.

“It’s one of those situations where you don’t know what’s gonna happen,” said Janzen. Because the rain stopped falling so hard, the situation was not as life threatening as it could have been.

Residents were evacuated from three homes as water started coming into the houses. Emergency workers had two rescue boats on scene from Salina and Pryor. Janzen said emergency personnel performed two or three vehicle rescues.

Janzen said the water went down within one to two hours.

“My house flooded for the third time in 14 months,” said Melanie Dodge, a resident on East 490 Road. Dodge said the culvert washed away for the second time in four months. She has lived at her residence for 17 years.

Dodge said “the water comes in so fast” that the tin horns wash away. Dodge suggested that ODOT put in a bridge over the area.

“I know that a bridge is expensive, but if it stays in and it works, it can’t be any more expensive than re-doing things,” Dodge said. “It’s just really frightening not being able to get in or out in an emergency situation.”