2017 Payson flash floods
Debris (logs and rocks) along the bank of the East Verde River after flood waters receded
DateJuly 15, 2017 (2017-07-15)
LocationWater Wheel Falls Hiking Trail near Payson, Arizona
Coordinates34°21′2″N 111°17′7″W / 34.35056°N 111.28528°W / 34.35056; -111.28528
TypeFlash flood
CauseHeavy rains, Wildfire burn scar
Casualties
Fatalities: 10
Injuries: 4
Property Damage: Unknown

The 2017 Ellison Creek flooding[1] or mostly known as the 2017 Payson flash floods occurred on July 15, 2017, near Payson, Arizona, in the Water Wheel Falls Hiking Trail in the Tonto National Forest that killed 10 members of an extended family. Before the flash floods, 10 of those people, and 4 others, were celebrating a birthday party.[2]

Start of the flood event

On the day of July 15, 2017, an extended family of 14 were celebrating a birthday party at the Cold Springs Swimming Hole in the Water Wheel Falls Hiking Trail. The weather was cloudy and calm with some heavy rains throughout the day with temperatures reaching 90 °F (32 °C). Besides the family of 14, many other people were also at Water Wheel Falls Hiking Trail to relax and swim in cold waters in the area. Hours earlier, heavy rains hit the area as part of the North American Monsoon, which hits the Southwestern U.S. every year between June and mid-September. At around 3 p.m. (MST), many of the people, including children, were swimming in the waters of the canyon when all of a sudden they hear a loud prolonged sound. When the people looked upstream, they saw a large wall of black muddy water rushing towards them. The water was carrying rocks and large logs the size of cars. The flood waters were approximately 6-foot tall and 40-feet wide. The flood swept away many of the swimmers while many other people were holding onto trees waiting to be rescued. The floods eventually moved into the East Verde River.[3][1][4]

Video of flash flood on Youtube
video icon Video shows the flood flowing through Ellison Creek, by Trent Shue (Uploader), Tonto Recreation Alliance (Original Owner)

The search for survivors and fatalities

While the waters of the flood were damaging everything in its path, 9-1-1 dispatchers were called and helicopters were needed to be used to rescue the people struggling to stay alive. Many any of the people were later rescued. After the flood event, searches for the missing were conducted.[5] Many family members of the missing arrived on scene and were worried that their relatives didn't make it. In the following days, an announcement was made that search crews did unfortunately find 9 bodies and 1 was still missing. The missing person named Hector Garnica was found days later deceased.[6][7][8]

Fatalities
  • Erika Garcia, 2
  • Emily Garnica, 3
  • Mia Garnica, 5
  • Daniel Garnica, 7
  • Jonathan Leon, 13
  • Javier Garcia, 19
  • Maribel Garcia, 24
  • Maria Garcia, 27
  • Hector Garnica, 27
  • Selia Castaneda, 57

Aftermath

As a result, the flood event left 10 people dead (half of them children) and 4 people were injured.[9] A funeral was held for the people who died in the flood. The cost of damages is unknown. Years later, family members of the victims had filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Government for wrongful death, negligence, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.[10]

Causes

There were mainly two causes of the flash flood. A month earlier before the tragedy occurred, the Highline Fire, a raging wildfire that burned 7,000+ acres of land near Ellison Creek, which explains the mixture of ash and logs that were in the flood waters on the day of the disaster. Another cause that might have been the main culprit for the tragedy was that even though there was a flash flood warning issued for the area, in the people's remote spot they did not get the warning.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Ellison Creek Flooding July 2017". weather.gov. National Weather Service and NOAA. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  2. ↑ "Eyewitness who recorded dramatic video of deadly Arizona flash flood thought he was doomed". abcnews.go.com. Michael Edison Hayden. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  3. ↑ "Cold Springs swimming hole: a mudflow tragedy in Arizona". blogs.agu.org. Dave Petley. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "Witnesses recount horrific flash flood that killed 5 kids, 4 adults in Arizona". cbsnews.com. CBS News. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Payson flash flooding deaths: Crews identify remains found as missing 10th victim". abc15.com. abc15.com staff, wire reports. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  6. ↑ "Tranquility at swimming hole near Payson, one year after flash flood that killed 10". azcentral.com. Michael Kiefer. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "9 killed in Arizona flash flooding were family celebrating a birthday". usatoday.com. Yihyun Jeong and Robert Gundran. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "At least 9 dead, 1 missing in Arizona flash flooding". cnn.com. Jay Croft, CNN. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  9. ↑ "Nine dead, one missing after Ariz. flash flood". santafenewmexican.com. Sally Ho and Anita Snow. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Family files lawsuit against U.S. government after deadly 2017 Payson floods". abc15.com. Liliana Soto. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "Deadly Arizona flash flooding was exacerbated by environmental factors". abcnews.go.com. Michael Edison Hayden. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
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