Runaway barges slam into Arkansas River dam, endanger town, Oklahoma officials say

Two barges that broke loose on the swollen Arkansas River slammed into a dam Thursday, endangering an Oklahoma town earlier evacuated, KTUL reported.

The barges had earlier been found “stuck on a rock jetty” upstream of a lock and dam at Webbers Falls, which had been evacuated Wednesday when the barges went missing after breaking free, KFOR reported.

Crews tried to secure the barges, but they later broke free and crashed into the dam before sinking, 40/29 News reported. Officials are inspecting the dam for damage.

If the runaway barges breach the dam, the town faces “catastrophic” flooding, the Tulsa World reported.

Interstate 40 and Highway 64, also closed as a precaution, will remain shut down for now, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook on Thursday morning.

Deadly spring storms are hammering the Midwest, with tornadoes touching down in Missouri and widespread flooding in other states, CBS News reported.

This story was originally published May 23, 2019 at 11:10 AM with the headline "Runaway barges slam into Arkansas River dam, endanger town, Oklahoma officials say."