Flash Flooding Prompts Water Rescues in Texas and Oklahoma

Chris Dolce
Published: August 13,2017
Water rescues and evacuations have been reported in northeast Texas after heavy rain swept through Sunday morning.
High water was affecting businesses, government centers and homes from Pottsboro to Denison and Sherman, according to a Grayson County Emergency Management (EM) report to the National Weather Service.

Darker orange and red shadings illustrate where the heaviest rain fell in northeast Texas on Sunday morning.

The Grayson County EM says that stranded motorists have prompted multiple water rescues in Sherman. Residents in Sherman located near Post Oak Creek were also being evacuated.
Sherman is located about an hour drive north of the Dallas metro area.

The Washington Street Bridge in Sherman, Texas, during flooding on Sunday morning. (@Markfc10c/Instagram)

In neighboring Fannin County, Texas, a car stalled in floodwaters near Bailey. Street flooding was also observed in Leonard.
More than six inches of rain fell in parts of northeast Texas early Sunday after thunderstorms "trained" over the same locations for several hours.
Flooding also occurred in eastern Oklahoma early Sunday morning.
Heavy rain is believed to have caused a 10-car train carrying liquid propane gas to derail near Sallisaw Sunday morning, according to KJRH. Emergency management evacuated a quarter-mile around the tracks; however, the evacuation order has been lifted. Two crew members were on board the train when it derailed, according to 5 News KFSM.
The cause of the derailment remains under investigation but Emergency Manager Steve Rutherford speculated that it was weather-related, according to News On 6.
To the east of Sallisaw, roads were impassable and water rescues have been performed.
Check back with weather.com as more details become available.

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