Man dies in Scott County flash flooding Friday
A man died in Scott County Friday where a vehicle was in high water, according to reports.
Early Friday, Scott County dispatchers took a 911 call about a man in Scott County who was supposed to meet his grandson at Manorcrest Road but never arrived or returned home. Deputies searched the area and tried to track him by his cellphone with no success.
After water levels from flash flooding receded, a motorist driving by State Highway 248 East saw the top of a pickup in the Poteau River.
Deputies and other first responders including Waldron police officers arrived and found no one in the pickup. About 8 a.m. Friday, a man was found, and recovered.
The truck appears to have been swept off the roadway near State Highway 80 East and Manorcrest Road, then into the Poteau River where it went downstream.
The name of the man was not released Friday.
"Our office would like to thank the Scott County Office of Emergency Management, Waldron Police Department, and all others who assisted in this incident, and we ask that you keep the man’s family and loved ones in your thoughts in the days ahead," the Scott County Sheriff's office posted on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the Fort Smith area was included in a flood warning until 1:30 p.m. Sunday as much of the Arkansas River Valley received heavy rainfall Thursday and Friday and rivers could crest.
Damage was reported in Scott County. People were advised not to drive into high water. The sheriff's office
A flood warning included the Poteau River in Le Flore County, Oklahoma that flows into the Arkansas River near downtown Fort Smith. Moderate flooding in agricultural areas including Panama, Oklahoma.
Flash flooding warnings were issued in western and central Arkansas Friday, the National Weather Service reported. Skies cleared in Fort Smith by 10:30 a.m. Friday.
Southwestern Logan County and Scott County were under flash flood warnings Friday. No flooding or damage was reported in Fort Smith where less than 2 inches of rain was reported.
A flood warning was issued until noon Friday for Crawford, Franklin and Sebastian counties in Arkansas and Le Flore and Sequoyah counties in eastern Oklahoma.
Cities in the Fort Smith area of western Arkansas that may have flooding were Alma, Barling, Cedarville, Charleston, Fort Smith, Greenwood, Ozark, Van Buren and others. In Oklahoma, flooding was a concern in Arkoma, Moffett, Muldrow, Pocola, Poteau, Roland, Sallisaw, Spiro and others.
Amounts from 2 inches to 5 inches of rain were reported by 6:30 a.m. Friday and additional amounts were expected, the weather service reported.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Scott County Thursday night. The warning was for parts of Montgomery, Polk, and Yell counties. A tornado watch was issued for Le Flore County, Oklahoma, and southeast Oklahoma, Thursday as severe storms moved into the Arkansas River Valley region.
Fort Smith was under a flood watch Thursday to Friday. A flood warning was issued for Friday to Sunday for the Poteau River that flows into the Arkansas River near downtown Fort Smith.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Flood warning continues in Fort Smith area through Sunday
