Drenching rains force scores of rescues in Oklahoma City

A car drives past a damaged awning of a gas station during a thunder storm in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 23, 2015. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said at least 15 highways have been closed across the state due to high water from the recent flooding. (Nate Billings/The Oklahoman via AP)

 

(Reuters) – More than 70 people were rescued on Saturday after severe storms soaked Oklahoma during a month of record rainfall, authorities said.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department said in a statement it had rescued more than 70 people after the drenching storms triggered flash floods in the city.

The storms also spurred several small tornadoes throughout the day, causing limited damage, officials said.

The National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, said Oklahoma City was just .11 inch shy of the all-time record for rainfall in any month.

It warned of flooding and advised people not to drive into any water covering roadways. Other parts of the state have already broken monthly rainfall records.

(Reporting by Heide Brandes, writing by Chris Michaud)