UTAH state officials said that seven people had died and six others were missing after floodwaters slammed into two cars in a small town near the Arizona border Monday afternoon.
The Utah Division of Emergency Management said in a Facebook post that heavy rains caused the flash flooding at about 5 p.m. Monday in Hildale, approximately 315 miles south of Salt Lake City. The statement said a “large wall of water and debris” smashed two vehicles full of people, washing the cars and occupants downstream.
The statement said there were 16 people in the two cars that were washed away. In addition to the dead and missing, authorities said the other three people had been rescued.
Hildale Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Barlow said the victims included mothers and small children. Fox 13 Now reported that three of the victims were mothers and one of the other victims was a 4-year-old.
Officials told the station that one of the cars that was swept away had stopped at an intersection known for flooding when the sudden rush of water caught them off guard. Barlow said several agencies are on scene assisting in trying to locate the missing individuals, including a swift water rescue team.
The National Weather Service said Monday that flash flooding in the Hildale area has resulted in overturned cars and flood damage along State Route 59. The flooding has also impacted several areas in the Colorado City and Hildale communities including flooded homes and streets and power outages. (Fox News)
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/15/utah-flash-floods-kill-six-people-seven-others-missing/?intcmp=hpbt2
20
