Oklahoma Woman Drowns in Storm Shelter During Flash Flood
OKLAHOMA CITY, May 7 (UPI) — A woman in Oklahoma City drowned overnight Wednesday after torrential rains flooded her storm shelter.
More than 20 tornadoes swept through the Plains states Wednesday night, sending residents in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas for cover.
Oklahoma took the brunt of the action, with several homes and vehicles destroyed, and a number of injuries. But it wasn’t the tornadoes or damaging winds that led to the death of Sky Stewart, 42, it was the rain that came later.
The Oklahoma City Police Department said Stewart died after getting into her underground storm cellar due to a tornado warning. When the torrential rains hit, the cellar filled up with water.
“She became trapped and could not get out,” a Facebook post from the department said.
Oklahoma City experienced its first-ever flash flood Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The damage caused by tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding prompted Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin to declare a state of emergency Thursday.
