Torrential rain leads to deadly flash flooding in Oklahoma
Flash flooding is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States. According to NOAA data, an average of 127 people die from flooding each year, with nearly half of those fatalities involving vehicles.
At least one dead in Oklahoma flooding
Officials in Lawton, Oklahoma, said at least one person was killed in flash flooding after severe weather and torrential rain slammed the region over the weekend. FOX Weather Meteorologist Kendall Smith has the latest on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
LAWTON, Okla. – Torrential rain swept across portions of southwest Oklahoma and northern Texas during the end of the workweek and into the start of the weekend, triggering deadly flash flooding.
According to police in Lawton, Oklahoma, a person was killed when their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. Police said first responders were unable to safely get to the submerged vehicle.
The Lawton Police Department Dive Team arrived and was able to get the victim out of the vehicle.
Watch: Cars trapped in floodwaters in Lawton, Oklahoma
A video shared from Lawton, Oklahoma, shows vehicles that became submerged in floodwaters as torrential rain fel on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
The unsettled weather pattern, which began dumping heavy rain on the region earlier in the week, dumped more than a half-foot of precipitation, overwhelming ditches and drainage systems.
On Saturday, the heaviest-impacted region appeared to be the Interstate 35 and 44 corridors, with parts of I-44 shut down southwest of the Oklahoma City metro.
Flash Flood Watches were issued for more than 2 million residents across the southern Plains, with several communities under Flash Flood Warnings.
"Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles," National Weather Service meteorologists from Norman, Oklahoma, stated.
Norman, Oklahoma flooding (@Brody_wx / FOX Weather)
KNOW YOUR FLOOD TERMINOLOGY: WHAT FLOOD WATCHES, WARNINGS AND EMERGENCIES REALLY MEAN
According to the weather agency, just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet and a foot of floodwater can carry a car away.
Doppler radar indicated rainfall rates between 1-2 inches per hour occurred in the alerted area with upwards of 6 inches of precipitation over the last 24 hours.
Further southwest in the Texas Panhandle, the mixture of hail and rainfall was too much for culverts to handle around the communities of Earth and Springlake.
Video from a storm chaser showed water rushing across Highway 70 after a tornado-warned storm moved through on Friday evening.
"Several people were stuck on the west side of Earth in the hail. They just slid off the road," storm chaser Chris Davis said.
Hail floats away during flash flooding in Texas Panhandle
Near Springlake, Texas, on U.S. Highway 70, flash flooding left the roadway completely covered in hail, making travel extremely hazardous. Video from a storm chaser from the scene shows water rushing across the highway.
The latest severe weather event came less than a week after five people died from flash flooding and severe weather throughout the southern Plains.
Law enforcement reported responding to dozens of high-water rescues last Sunday around communities such as Moore and around the Tulsa metro.
Heavy rains trigger flash flooding in Norman
As much as 6 inches of rain fell around parts of Oklahoma Saturday triggering areas of flash flooding, including near the University of Oklahoma campus.