Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-05
Forecast of Clearing Skies Promises
Relief for Flooded Oklahoma Areas

TULSA. Okla, Oct. 5 (AP)-
The Weather Bureau today said
weather weary Oklahomans
could expect a break in the
six-day deluge of rain. Light
rain fell overnight in the East
and extreme northern portions,
but clearing skies were forecast
to spread rapidly over most Of
the State.
Hundreds Of families were
still unable TO get back into
their flooded homes at Guthrie
and saltwater. in the North
Central section. and in Tulsa.
The water receded overnight at
Saltwater and Guthrie. while
the Arkansas River here was
21a feet over flood stage early
today.
The Tulsa River Forecast
Center said little change was
expected in the Arkansas for
the next 36 hours. Many of the
shallow rivers and streams in
the flatlands of Northern Okla
homa continued to spread out
over miles Of lowlands.
Downstream from Tulsa, the
small town of Moffett was
threatened by the Arkansas
River as it covered thousands
of acres of bottomland. Several
families were evacuated and
plans were made for the evac- |
uation of about 400 persons. |
The river was expected to be
10 feet over flood stage by to-
morrow.
Damage in Millions
Tom Brett, Oklahoma civil
defense director, said flood |
waters from the autumn rains
caused millions of dollars in
property damage.
He said yesterday he would
recommend to Gov. j. Howard
Edmonson that he declare a
major State disaster from the
foods.
Red Cross headquarters in
Oklahoma City estimated about
5000 persons were forced to
leave their homes because Of
high water and that 729 homes
and buildings have been dam
aged by the floods.
Thus far, five lives have been
lost in the bad weather. Four
victims died in auto crashes at
tributed to the rain; a fifth
victim died in a light plane
crash.
Excavations have been with
out panic. The heaviest toll
from the floods may be human
misery.
Miss Clara OFT, about so, of
Guthrie, reflected a portion of
that misery yesterday as she
watched flood water swirl
through her home.
Suddenly she cried out to on
locker. I've lost everything, I
don't want to live"
Witnesses said she clutched
her side and fell. Civil defense
officials said Miss OFT appar-
emily was a victim of a heart
attack. She was hospitalized
in Guthrie in undetermined |
condition. /
Meanwhile, flash floods and
tornadoeS in Texas left two
persons feared drowned and
four others dead in accidents.
At least eight persons were
injured in the tornadoes. There
was no accurate count of per-
sons injured in the floods.
Worst May Be Over
Dozens of families were made
homeless and hundreds more
returned to ater-soaked, mud
filled houses as flood waters
receded in some areas.
Weather forecasters and river
watchers said cautiously today
the worst may be over, how
ever.
Forecasts called for only
scattered rain in the hill coun-
try of Central and West Texas
where flood destruction was
centered after rains of up to Is
inches poured down from Fri
day night through yesterday.
The cloudbursts which sent
a half dozen major streams and
dozens of their tributaries out |
of their banks drowned thou
sands Of cattle and did heavy
damage to farmland.
Tornadoes hit the towns of |
Farmersville, New Mesquite,
Terrell, Tidewell and Pecan
Gap in the Dallas-Fort Worth
area. Residences, farm build
ings, churches, crop-dusting air.
planes and a small manufac-
turing company suffered heavy |
damage.