Tahlequah Residents Dealing With Major Flood Damage

Tahlequah has experienced over eight inches of rain in the last 24 hours.

"Kind of kick back and watch, there ain't much you can really do,” said business owner David Rogers.

And because of it, people living in the Illinois River Basin are dealing with major flood damage, the majority of it right off Highway 10.

"Thankfully because of all the advance notice that we've had, a lot of the businesses and float places they have been preparing and moving all their equipment out by the highway,” said resident Brady May.

But some damage is unavoidable. Entire roads have been washed out, one right off the highway.

Those flood waters were powerful; at one point Saturday afternoon, the water blocked a group of GRDA Rangers into their station and closed off major sections of Highway 10.

The wild weather also had an effect on downtown businesses, like local David Rogers bike shop that flooded.

"The main part is just the carpet and the filth and the mud inside the bike shop,” he said.