Oklahoma Governor Tours Damage, Declares State Of Emergency

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin declared Wednesday a State of Emergency for 68 of Oklahoma's 77 counties due to tornadoes, severe storms, straight line winds and flooding that began Tuesday, May 24.

The counties included in the declaration are: Adair, Alfalfa, Atoka, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Custer, Delaware, Dewey, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Haskell, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Latimer, LeFlore, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Sequoyah, Stephens, Tillman, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington, Washita, Woods and Woodward.

These Oklahoma counties were east of a dry-line and in an area which experienced tornadoes, straight line winds, damaging hail and flooding. Damage assessments are ongoing.

Under the Executive Order, state agencies can make emergency purchases and acquisitions needed to expedite the delivery of resources to local jurisdictions. The declaration also marks a first step toward seeking federal assistance should it be necessary.

Wednesday morning, Governor Mary Fallin and state officials took an aerial tour of several central Oklahoma communities hard hit by Tuesday's tornadoes and storms including Guthrie, Piedmont, Cashion and Goldsby.

After the aerial tour, the governor walked through a damaged area in Chickasha to get a closer look at the damage. 

Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak

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5/24/2011: Governor Mary Fallin To Tour Oklahoma Tornado Damage