by A sudden flash flood struck the town of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, early Tuesday morning, forcing the emergency evacuation of 50 children from a local Boys & Girls Club.
Key Details:
- Location: Sallisaw, Oklahoma, near the Arkansas border
- Incident: Flash flooding overwhelmed the main street and quickly inundated the Boys & Girls Club
- Evacuation:
- Water surged through the building, rising nearly a foot in just 15 minutes
- Staff, firefighters, and police worked together to escort children to safety
- Some children had to be carried through waist-deep water
- Emotional Toll:
- Children cried and screamed during the evacuation
- Many had heard about the tragic flooding in Texas that killed over 120 people, including 27 campers and counselors
Statements:
- Laura Kuykendall, CEO of the Sequoyah County Boys & Girls Club: “We were trying to keep them calm because they’re scared, they’re afraid.”
“We had to carry the kids out because they couldn’t get in the water.”
Background:
- Texas Connection:
- Just last week, Kerr County, Texas, was devastated by deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River
- 173 people remain missing, with Camp Mystic among the hardest hit
- National Impact:
- Oklahoma is one of at least four states experiencing flash flooding this week
- New Mexico reported at least 3 deaths after floods in a mountain village
- North Carolina and Southern Virginia face further flooding after Tropical Storm Chantal
- Wildfires continue to spread across California and even Alaska
All 50 children from the Sallisaw Boys & Girls Club were safely reunited with their families. No injuries were reported. Emergency services remain on alert as extreme weather patterns continue across the country.
