Flash flooding can happen even in Yuma

Tragedy a reminder of how deadly situation can be

Flash flood warnings are part of monsoon season in Arizona.

It’s hard to imagine what those words really mean, however, or how devastating such situations can be.

Last weekend, nine people lost their lives in a flash flood in a creek near Payson, and one child was still missing Monday.

The group likely had no warning, officials said, because there is no cell phone service in the area, The Associated Press reports.

The violent flash flood happened due to 1.5 inches of rain that fell about eight miles upstream, which then flooded the narrow canyon where the group was, AP reports. It was a fast event — swift waters for about 10 minutes through the canyon, yet bodies were found as far as two miles downstream.

In just minutes, nine people were killed by a flood from a storm that happened miles away. It’s a terrifying, tragic scenario, and one that is possible anywhere in the state, including Yuma County.

In fact, many readers here have likely seen the warnings by the National Weather Service for such weather events locally.

The agency issues flash flood warnings when “a flash flood is imminent or occurring. … A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.”

A flash flood is especially dangerous in an area such as a stream, drainage channel, canyon, wash or other similar areas, the National Weather Service notes. Flash floods can occur when rain happens somewhere nearby — the storm doesn’t have to occur right in that space.

The challenge with flash floods can be seen in their name — they happen quickly, with little warning.

For this group near Payson, without cell signal, the only way they could have known there was a possible danger was if they had a weather radio with them, AP notes.

The tragedy last weekend is a sad reminder of just how deadly and swift a flash flood can be.

If you should be headed to an area such as a canyon or a wash for some outdoor fun, check the weather report periodically, or bring along a weather radio, and heed any warnings that might develop. Such actions can save lives, and avoid tragedies such as the one that happened near Payson.

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