***Exciting surfing experience on flooded Arkansas highway***
JACKSONVILLE, Ark. – Imagine a major Arkansas interstate transformed into a temporary waterway due to torrential rain. For one adventurous individual, it was the perfect opportunity to grab a surfboard. Instead of the usual highway traffic noise on Interstate 57 in Jacksonville, the sound of water splashing and a jet ski engine roaring filled the air as Blane Waggoner turned the flooded road into his own surfing paradise.
A video capturing Waggoner effortlessly gliding across the submerged asphalt quickly went viral on social media, showcasing how he turned a weather-related inconvenience into a remarkable spectacle. The scene unfolded on a rainy Sunday afternoon when heavy showers caused significant flooding in Jacksonville, with up to 10 inches of rain reported by the FOX Forecast Center in the city over the weekend.
“This is what happens when it floods in Arkansas… surf’s up in Jacksonville,” Waggoner exclaimed during his impromptu surfing session. While it may seem unusual to some, Waggoner and his group of friends are avid surfers and surfboarders who embrace such outdoor activities year-round. Waggoner, who hails from Cabot, operates a boat repair and sales shop specializing in wakeboard boats and also provides lessons on surfing, wakeboarding, and foiling during the summer months on his personal Malibu boat.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that President Donald Trump had approved Arkansas’ request for an Emergency Declaration for Direct Federal Assistance to aid in the state’s response to the storms, tornadoes, and flooding that commenced on April 2. The National Weather Service in Little Rock warned that the ongoing severe weather would cause major rivers to flood for an extended period.
Tragically, Arkansas has already witnessed two fatalities and numerous injuries in connection to the severe weather, including the death of a 5-year-old boy in Little Rock when a tree fell on his home.
