At least four people died in central Arizona after heavy rainfall caused flash flooding , officials said Saturday, with the hardest-hit areas including the historic mining town of Globe, about 88 miles east of Phoenix.
Residents were forced to climb onto rooftops as floodwaters swept through downtown streets, overturning vehicles and scattering about 1,000 propane tanks from a local distributorship, as per news agency AP .
According to NBC News , Carl Melford, Gila County emergency manager , confirmed three deaths in Globe.
“We now have a massive search and rescue underway,” he was quoted as saying by AP, noting that authorities were investigating reports of possibly missing residents.
In Scottsdale, the fourth victim was identified as 38-year-old Ander Polanco, whose vehicle had been submerged in approximately eight feet of fast-moving water on Friday evening; his body was found Saturday after the waters receded, reported NBC News.
The flooding in Globe, a city of around 7,250 residents, occurred after roughly 2.5 inches (6.4 centimetres) of rain fell within 24 hours.
Another storm moved in on Saturday, temporarily halting search efforts due to high-flowing creeks.
Streets in the nearby mining town of Miami were also flooded, though no injuries were reported there, according to Melford.
Mayor Al Gameros said the damage to downtown Globe was extensive, with buildings compromised and hazardous materials, including propane tanks, strewn across the area.
“Our primary, again, is search and rescue,” he said. Officials cautioned residents to avoid floodwaters, as volunteer interference could hinder rescue dogs from locating victims.
Social media videos showed vehicles being swept away, some smashed against poles, with muddy water carrying debris through the city.
Mike Stapleton, Globe’s vice mayor, described reports of trapped residents, including a pregnant woman who had to swim out of a flooded restaurant, and called the devastation “just unbelievable”.
Council member Freddy Rios said, “This is something that we could never even imagine, and here we are living it”.
Rescue operations included teams from neighbouring counties and the state.
Authorities also evacuated about 20 tourists stranded on the Havasupai Indian Reservation , including at scenic Havasu Falls.
The National Weather Service reported between 1 and 2 inches of rainfall across metropolitan Phoenix on Friday, including 1.6 inches at the city airport, the highest single-day total in seven years.
Hail larger than an inch was observed in some areas, and some self-driving vehicles at Phoenix airport were stuck in floodwaters.
Globe city council members declared a state of emergency and urged residents to stay away from downtown until it was deemed safe.
Authorities were checking vehicles among debris and assessing structural damage to ensure bridges over local creeks remained stable, as per the New York Times.
With further storms expected, officials warned of continued flash flooding risks across Globe, Miami, and neighbouring communities, emphasising the importance of remaining in safe locations until conditions improved.
Residents were forced to climb onto rooftops as floodwaters swept through downtown streets, overturning vehicles and scattering about 1,000 propane tanks from a local distributorship, as per news agency AP .
According to NBC News , Carl Melford, Gila County emergency manager , confirmed three deaths in Globe.
“We now have a massive search and rescue underway,” he was quoted as saying by AP, noting that authorities were investigating reports of possibly missing residents.
In Scottsdale, the fourth victim was identified as 38-year-old Ander Polanco, whose vehicle had been submerged in approximately eight feet of fast-moving water on Friday evening; his body was found Saturday after the waters receded, reported NBC News.
The flooding in Globe, a city of around 7,250 residents, occurred after roughly 2.5 inches (6.4 centimetres) of rain fell within 24 hours.
Another storm moved in on Saturday, temporarily halting search efforts due to high-flowing creeks.
Streets in the nearby mining town of Miami were also flooded, though no injuries were reported there, according to Melford.
Mayor Al Gameros said the damage to downtown Globe was extensive, with buildings compromised and hazardous materials, including propane tanks, strewn across the area.
“Our primary, again, is search and rescue,” he said. Officials cautioned residents to avoid floodwaters, as volunteer interference could hinder rescue dogs from locating victims.
Social media videos showed vehicles being swept away, some smashed against poles, with muddy water carrying debris through the city.
Tonight, intense flooding is causing serious damage in Globe, Arizona, USA. pic.twitter.com/1CAOYjNMXu
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) September 27, 2025
More horrifying scenes out of Globe, AZ, as floodwaters turned streets into rivers, sweeping cars from a dealership downstream.
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) September 27, 2025
Unfortunately, the Southwest isn’t in the clear yet, with more heavy rain expected today and a slight risk of additional flooding across parts of… pic.twitter.com/mox670CHoz
Mike Stapleton, Globe’s vice mayor, described reports of trapped residents, including a pregnant woman who had to swim out of a flooded restaurant, and called the devastation “just unbelievable”.
Council member Freddy Rios said, “This is something that we could never even imagine, and here we are living it”.
Rescue operations included teams from neighbouring counties and the state.
Authorities also evacuated about 20 tourists stranded on the Havasupai Indian Reservation , including at scenic Havasu Falls.
The National Weather Service reported between 1 and 2 inches of rainfall across metropolitan Phoenix on Friday, including 1.6 inches at the city airport, the highest single-day total in seven years.
Hail larger than an inch was observed in some areas, and some self-driving vehicles at Phoenix airport were stuck in floodwaters.
Globe city council members declared a state of emergency and urged residents to stay away from downtown until it was deemed safe.
Authorities were checking vehicles among debris and assessing structural damage to ensure bridges over local creeks remained stable, as per the New York Times.
With further storms expected, officials warned of continued flash flooding risks across Globe, Miami, and neighbouring communities, emphasising the importance of remaining in safe locations until conditions improved.
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