Photo: Arizona Rangers - Tucson Co./Facebook
A flash flood in Arizona has left two people dead after monsoon rains ripped though the town of Gila Bend Saturday.
Arizona Rangers - Tucson Co./Facebook
Gila Bend resident Ty Turner said he, his girlfriend and their daughter Micaila were asleep on Friday night when the flooding began.
“We didn’t expect this at all,” he told AZ Family. “Luckily, our little brothers woke us up because we would have either drowned or woken up a little bit worse and not saved anything.”
“All our clothes? Gone. Diapers that were already open? Gone. Save anything important like our documents? We didn’t get to. We have nothing really,” Turner said.
Another Gila Bend resident said they’ve never seen anything like the flash flood before in the small town, which is about 70 miles southwest of Phoenix.
“This is like the first time I’ve ever seen it like this, get this bad. We never get any rain,” Jaize Puffer told AZ Family. “Since this was the first time, it was shocking for me.”
MCSO Capt. Joe Dietrich said about 100 first responders were called in to help on Saturday. As of 3:30 p.m. that day, they called off their search and rescue efforts. Because more rain was predicted on Sunday, deputies remained in the town for another day.
Gila Bend Mayor Chris Riggs declared a state of emergency early Saturday morning as the American Red Cross was called in to help. Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack Sellers declared a local emergency for the county later that day.
On Sunday,AZ Centralreported that the National Weather Service in Phoenix has now extended the flash flood watch to 2 a.m. on Tuesday, a warning that applies to both central and southern Arizona.
Due to storms in the area over the weekend, the ground of the metro Phoenix area is already saturated. The rainwater creates conditions for flash floods to come in quickly, despite the forecast of possibly mild showers, which could still pose a threat to the area.
Phoenix is expected to see more monsoon-like weather this week, with increased chances of rain Monday and Tuesday evening.
source: people.com
