OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Record-smashing rainfall and torrential flooding that has hammered Oklahoma this month has likely caused tens of millions of dollars' worth of damage to roads and bridges in the state, although official estimates won't be available for weeks.
Dozens of state highways remained closed Tuesday in 20 counties stretching from central and northern parts of Oklahoma to the borders of Texas and Arkansas. At the county level, damage was even more widespread as creeks and rivers swelled out of their banks when a slow moving weekend storm pushed Oklahoma's statewide average rainfall total to an all-time high of nearly 13 inches.
While the visual image of powerful tornadoes may be more eye-catching, emergency management officials say widespread flooding takes a bigger toll on road, bridges and other public infrastructure.