Crews Continue To Search For Missing Man In NW OKC Flood Waters

A man was swept away by floodwaters Monday night in Ski Island. Crews have been outside all day but have yet to find the missing man.

"We went out to the vehicle. Check around the vehicle and did not see anyone in the vehicle," said Greg Merrell with the Oklahoma Fire Department.

Chief Meteorologist David Payne said nearly five inches of rain dumped on the Ski Island area Monday.

It's an area that is no stranger to flooding, but residents said they had not seen the water this high and swift in some time.

"This is the worst flood. I have been here for 20 years, and this is by far the worst flood in 20 years and the first time that it has been in my house," said Dale Talley, a resident by Ski Island. 

"It is very dangerous not only with the depth of the water but the speed of the water," said Merrell. 

Firefighters said just before midnight, a man was driving to the neighborhood to visit family.

That's when the floodwater overtook his car. Witnesses said at one point, they saw the driver on top of the car, but a short time later, he was gone.

"Every time we have a heavy rain, the spillway gets flooded and lots of water going over it, and it is dangerous to drive in," said Talley.

Rescue crews are hours into a tedious search by boat using sonar, drones overhead and spotters onshore.

"The search we do is a grid search area. We will grid off certain areas, and once we clarify those areas are clear, then we will move on to the next areas," said Merrell.