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With two possible tornado touch downs on Tuesday Nowata County’s emergency manager is calling the area lucky that it avoided serious damage. Laurie Summers says much of the county avoided damage to structures after reported tornadoes near Lenapah and Talala on Tuesday.

Summers says the down pouring of nearly six inches of rain in approximately five hours caused the most damage.

Most flooded roadways in the county have seen floodwaters recede. Summers says the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has shut down Highway 10 east of US 169 because the road is flooded. This means emergency management crews have not been able to survey damage in the northeastern part of the county yet. Right now the number of homes effected and the dollar amount of damage is hard to estimate, according to Summers.

The Red Cross has been assisting emergency crews in evaluating damage as well. Summers says the Red Cross is providing resources for those in the county with an immediate need.

Summers says the plan is for the Red Cross to set up a resource center at the Nowata County Fair Building to provide aid for citizens. Summers says her hope is that storms that are projected later this week do not bring as much rainfall.

Governor Kevin Stitt announced that a State of Emergency has been called for 52 counties effected by the storm which includes Nowata and neighboring Washington and Osage county's.