Choctaw community still cleaning debris months after November tornadoes
CHOCTAW, Okla. (KFOR) — Friday marks two months to the day since the November 3 tornadoes tore across southeastern Oklahoma County.
The storms left mass devastation across Choctaw and other towns.
Melissa Pearson lives in Choctaw. She said tree branches and other debris outside of her home doubled over time.
"It is extraordinarily mentally fatiguing and frustrating to still see devastation," Pearson said.
She also said the piles were getting too large for the curb. She and her neighbors had to burn their debris piles.
The Mayor of Choctaw, Chad Allcox, says they haven't forgotten about the residents and understand their frustration.
Mayor Allcox said the city is doing everything possible to help clean things up, but don't have any help from federal agencies.
"FEMA, they have a $9 million threshold for damage to be done, we've had close to $100 million in damage from the November 3rd tornadoes across the metro, specifically in Oklahoma County," Mayor Allcox said.
Inside Choctaw city limits, Mayor Allcox says the damage totals roughly six-and-a-half million dollars, which doesn't meet FEMA's $9M threshold for aid.
Pearson says recovering from the natural disaster has been tough, but she's determined they will get through it.
"The community has really reached out to our neighborhood and provided a pillar of support," Pearson said.
Mayor Allcox hopes to have Choctaw neighborhoods cleaned up soon. He said crews are already out removing debris in certain areas.
"They just completed the first round and Railhead, which is the southeast corner of Choctaw. There's a section north of 29th Street, west of Triple X within the city of Choctaw as well that has not been touched yet. That should start occurring mid to late next week," Mayor Allcox said.
Mayor Allcox also said they're hoping to have things done within the next month-and-a-hald.
If you have any questions, Mayor Allcox said he updates his Facebook page weekly with new and/or current information.
Mayor Allcox also welcomes you to call his office for further assistance or clarification.