An Oklahoma man died after he was swept away by flooding Wednesday as heavy rain struck the state and Texas, where around 16 million people were under high water alerts, officials said.
The man in Pottawatomie County died after his vehicle was swept off a roadway around 12:30 p.m., and after a sheriff’s deputy who tried to save him also became trapped in the water, the sheriff’s office said. The deputy was rescued by firefighters.
“Tragically, despite every effort made, the individual in distress could not be reached in time and passed away at the scene,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement on social media. “Our hearts are heavy tonight for this loss of life, and we extend our deepest condolences to the man’s family and loved ones.”
The death occurred as roadways and other areas in Oklahoma and the Dallas area flooded due to heavy rainfall caused by a stalled frontal boundary, the National Weather Service said…