OKLAHOMA CITY (TheBlaze\/AP) \u2014 Authorities in northeast Oklahoma have identified the firefighter who died after he was swept away by floodwaters while assisting in a rescue.<\/p>\n
The tragedy came as huge swathes of Texas and Oklahoma were drenched in a torrential downpour.<\/p>\n
Claremore Fire Chief Sean Douglas says Capt. Jason Farley was helping rescue about 10 people who were trapped in duplexes in the community that\u2019s about 30 miles northeast of Tulsa.<\/p>\n
Douglas says Farley was swept into a drainage ditch about 11:30 p.m. Saturday and his body was recovered about 1 a.m. Sunday. Farley had been a firefighter for 20 years.<\/p>\n
The National Weather Service says recent storms have set a new monthly rainfall record for Oklahoma City \u2014 18.19 inches through Saturday. The previous May rainfall record was in 14.52 inches in 2013, and the previous all-time monthly rainfall total was 14.66 inches in June 1989.<\/p>\n
About 1,000 people have been evacuated in Central Texas and an evening curfew has been imposed as fast-moving floodwaters have consumed homes, sent downed power lines snaking into neighborhoods and turned roadways into tributaries.<\/p>\n
San Marcos city spokeswoman Kristi Wyatt said Sunday that shelters are open. Rescue crews used pontoon boats and a National Guard helicopter to pull people to safety overnight, and some were forced to flee to their rooftops.<\/p>\n
Wyatt says some 1,000 homes are damaged across Hays County, a fast-growing area nestled between the San Antonio and Austin metro regions. Five San Marcos police vehicles were washed away and a fire station is flooded.<\/p>\n
The Hays County Sheriff\u2019s Office issued the curfew Sunday as a public safety measure. The public is asked to \u201crestrict all unnecessary movement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Throughout the region, locals have taken to social media to share their \u201cinsane\u201d struggle.<\/p>\n
The footage below purportedly shows a drone\u2019s view of a washed out bridge near Canyon Lake, Texas.<\/p>\n [youtube_sc url= http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZwTqUtSJqqs&w=560&h=315]<\/p>\n Some made the best of the soggy situation.<\/p>\n Rain is expected to continue throughout the holiday weekend.<\/p>\n This story has been updated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u2018Insane\u2019 Photos and Videos Show Oklahoma, Texas Flooding That Has Killed One Firefighter and Left 1,000 Evacuated (UPDATE: At Least Three Dead) The Blaze UPDATE 8 p.m. EST: At least three people are confirmed dead after record-setting rains in parts … Continue reading ![\"Screen](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Screen-Shot-2015-05-26-at-6.06.29-AM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Screen](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Screen-Shot-2015-05-26-at-6.11.27-AM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Screen](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Screen-Shot-2015-05-26-at-6.15.16-AM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Screen](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Screen-Shot-2015-05-26-at-6.15.36-AM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n