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Severe Weather: Deadly flash floods sweep away homes in Oklahoma, Texas

"There are power lines down, debris in the roadways, bridges undermined," San Marcos, Texas Fire Marshal Ken Bell said.

By Doug G. Ware

HAYS COUNTY, Texas, May 24 (UPI) -- Following record-setting rainfall, multiple people were killed and homes were washed away in Texas and Oklahoma Sunday after flash flooding hit the areas, officials said.

Authorities are surveying the damage but have said so far hundreds of homes have been destroyed and about 1,000 others severely damaged.

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At least three people are dead and many others have been injured, CNN reported Sunday.

"We do have whole streets that have maybe one or two houses left on them, and the rest are just slabs," Hays County, Texas Emergency Management Coordinator Kharley Smith said, adding that two main bridges have also been washed away.

Search crews are also looking for persons missing and trapped in areas authorities can't reach due to bad weather, officials said. The inclement weather forced authorities to halt air rescues.

The full damage sustained by the affected areas wasn't immediately known, and forecasters said continued rain might aggravate the flooding situation further. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for San Marcos, Texas and surrounding areas.

"There are power lines down, debris in the roadways, bridges undermined," San Marcos Fire Marshal Ken Bell said.

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Overnight, flood waters also ran in northern Texas and Oklahoma. On Saturday, a 33-year-old woman in Tulsa died in a car accident -- and a firefighter died attempting a high-water rescue as crews tried to pull residents from the fast-moving waters.

Authorities said crews have already performed nearly 50 high-water rescues, and displaced residents are filling up shelters quickly.

Tornado watches have been issued in many areas of the Central United States, the Weather Channel reported, and Lake Texoma is currently at more than 100 percent capacity -- holding 55 billion gallons of water more than it is designed to.

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