Devastating flooding leaves 4 dead in Arizona as officials search for more unaccounted for
Three people are dead and rescue crews in Globe, Arizona, are searching for more as devastating floods hit the area Saturday, CNN affiliate KTVK/KPHO reported.
Intense storms pounded Arizona, especially the Phoenix area, with torrential rain on Sept. 26, leading to floods that stranded vehicles and required water rescues.
(CNN) — Devastating floods have left at least four people dead in Arizona as rescue crews work to find more unaccounted for after heavy rains hit the region Friday night into Saturday.
Three people died in the floods in Globe, Arizona, Carl Melford with Gila County Emergency Services said. About 90 miles away in Scottsdale, another person was found dead Saturday morning near where a vehicle was caught in floodwaters the night before, the Scottsdale Fire Department said.
The vehicle was found partially submerged in up to 9 feet of fast-moving water on Friday night, the fire department said. The police department deployed drones and helicopters and determined the car was empty, according to a statement from the Scottsdale Fire Department. Saturday morning, when the waters dropped, officials found a body pinned under a walkway bridge outside the vehicle, the fire department said.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs declared a state of emergency for Gila County, directing resources for ongoing search, rescue and recovery efforts countywide, including authorizing deployment of the state National Guard for support “as needed,” she announced during a Saturday evening news conference.
Hobbs said she spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Saturday evening, who indicated that FEMA is prepared to assist in disaster response if necessary.
With more rain on the way Saturday, the city of Globe has also declared a state of emergency and is asking people to stay inside due to hazardous debris. Officials are currently looking into reports of missing people but it is unclear how many are unaccounted for, Melford said.
Video of police and emergency vehicles on Saturday after flash flooding swept through Globe, Arizona. (Ally Mills via CNN Newsource)
A new flash flood warning was posted Saturday afternoon by the National Weather Service as thunderstorms moved across the area.
“Historic Downtown Globe is currently unsafe, with compromised buildings as well as hazardous chemicals and debris, including propane tanks,” the city said in a post on Facebook.
About 1,000 bottles of propane were released from a facility south of the city, the city’s mayor, Al Gameros, said at an emergency city council meeting Saturday. They are scattered around the downtown area and on the highway, he said.
Melford said several of the tanks were leaking. “We did deploy hazmat teams to address those and we’ve got air quality monitors in place. It seems that situation is getting remediated,” he told CNN.
The Gila County Division of Emergency Management told residents to shelter in place as they clear the debris and watch for more rain expected in the area today.
“We ask that they not interfere with the active search and rescue operations going on. They have a grid pattern. They have a strategy. They’re trained professionals. And any people going into an area that’s being searched by dogs, the scent of that person attempting to help could actually interfere with the search,” Melford said.
Officials are also currently assessing damage to buildings downtown, the mayor said at the council meeting. Teams of people are searching the area to make sure no one is inside. Crews from the Arizona Department of Transportation have been contacted to come assess if there is damage to any bridges, Public Works Director John Angulo said at the meeting.
‘Unprecedented’ flooding
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport got 1.64 inches of rain Friday, according to the National Weather Service, the most rain in one day since October 13, 2018.
Gameros said “numerous vehicles” were swept into the waters, according to a Facebook post in the overnight hours Saturday. Now, teams are searching all the cars that got washed away, the mayor said at the council meeting.
Earlier, he declared a state of emergency and said the city was in “an active emergency mode.”
Angulo said the water came so fast, it is an “understatement to call it just flash flooding.”
“There wasn’t enough sandbags, there wasn’t enough equipment. I don’t think there’s enough warning that could have helped us prevent what has happened,” Angulo said.
“You cannot prepare for that,” Globe City Councilman Mariano Gonzalez said. “The width, the length, and breadth and depth of that event last night was unprecedented.”
Video obtained by CNN affiliate KPNX appears to show torrents of brown floodwater rushing through a street. Resident Ally Mills shared videos of the aftermath in Globe with CNN. The video shows large piles of mud and ruts in the road where drivers have driven through the area.
Jessica Weider was working at a restaurant in downtown Globe on Friday night when floodwaters swept through the city. She told CNN the flash flood lasted for about two hours. She took a video of a white car floating in the road and several vehicles in the deep water.
Greg Bucher walked in downtown Globe after the flood, only to see his city was devastated by the high-powered water.
“Oh my God. I just got downtown Globe, just here this morning and it’s a mess. There’s propane tanks everywhere,” he said in a video as he walked.
He said the floodwaters knocked out a railing on the small bridge over the wash. A crushed silver car can be seen turned upside down under the bridge.
“Think of us,” he said as he ended the video.
The county emergency management said there is one shelter operational and more are being set up. There is also a call center set up for residents looking for information.
Globe is a city of about 7,200 people, about 90 miles east of Phoenix.
CNN’s David Williams contributed to this report, which has been updated with additional information from officials.
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