Arizona flash flood kills large family

TONTO NATIONAL FOREST, Ariz. — The flash flood that killed nine people in an Arizona river canyon began its deadly descent as an impressive but avoidable surge of churning water, black with cinders from a recent wildfire and choked with tumbling tree trunks and limbs.

By the time it reached a rocky swimming hole several miles downstream, it was a roaring torrent 6 feet high, and an extended family celebrating a birthday while seeking refuge from the summer heat had no warning — and no chance to escape.

The bodies were found up to 2 miles away. Five other people were rescued, some of them clinging desperately to trees, and were treated for hypothermia and released.

As rescuers searched Monday for a 27-year-old man still missing about 100 miles northeast of Phoenix, authorities identified the victims, who ranged in age from 2 to 60.

Among them were three generations of a family. Five of the dead were children.

The victims had been lounging Saturday in the swimming hole, where rocks create pools and a series of small waterfalls. There the river narrows, squeezing the flow of water and increasing its deadly force.

The river roared to life after a thunderstorm had dumped up to 1.5 inches of rain in an hour, prompting a flash flood warning from the National Weather Service.

Though the service sent out a flash flood warning over cellphone networks, service in the remote area is patchy at best. Unless they had a weather radio, the swimmers would have been unaware.

“They had no warning. They heard a roar, and it was on top of them,” said Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier of the Water Wheel Fire and Medical District.

Carrie Templin, a spokesman for the Tonto National Forest, said people headed to the forest should check weather alerts ahead of time to determine whether it’s safe. It is hard to predict where rain will fall in the desert Southwest, and people should know that heavy downpours can cause flash flooding, Templin said.

One hiker who was stranded by the flood said she can’t get the sound of the rushing water out of her head.

Nancy Coto, 17, said she was stuck for four hours on a slab of rock with her boyfriend and his family.

“We’re all just saying that we got blessed, but I don’t like to use that word because other families weren’t blessed,” Coto said. “Children died.”