At Least 3 Weather-Related Deaths in Oklahoma, Officials Say
The deaths were in northeast Oklahoma.
— -- There were at least three weather-related deaths in northeastern Oklahoma -- coming in the wake of at least 46 weather-related deaths around the country since last Wednesday.
In the first incident, just after 11 a.m. Monday, rescuers from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol found a 22-year-old man in a lake after he had been boating. A 29-year-old man who had been with him is still missing, police said. The boat had been found but not recovered.
A 36-year-old man had been trying to cross a creek in his pickup truck early Sunday morning and was swept away, police said. His body was recovered around 1 p.m. Monday.
And a 54-year-old woman who was driving near Bixby, Oklahoma went off the roadway for an unknown reason and was surrounded by high water, police said.
According to the National Weather Service: "Extreme rainfall amounts have occurred over the last 3 days with a wide swath of 6 to 12 inch amounts spreading across eastern Oklahoma into far northwest Arkansas. Major flooding is ongoing with several points along the Illinois River reaching historical heights. Numerous roads remain flooded or closed and motorists should be especially cautious at night."
As of Monday, there were at least 46 weather-related deaths since Wednesday Dec. 23, including 27 from tornadoes in Texas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Others were electrocuted and had their cars swept away.
Wild weather, including snow in New Mexico, flash flooding in the Midwest and a winter storm in Oklahoma, have been punishing the country since last week.
On Monday, a strong storm system was hitting most of the eastern portion of the country, bringing heavy rainfall, snow, ice and flooding, according to the NWS.