Massive Flooding Debris Flow Swept Away Many Homes, Cars in Utah Today, 5 Die

[00:00:11]approximately 200 homes were impacted by flooding after quick heavy rain fell on the Cottonwood fire burn scar on Sunday.

[00:00:18]City officials said part of the Grove neighborhood remained evacuated south of the Beaver River channel on Monday after evacuations were ordered on Sunday.

[00:00:27]Others on the north side have been allowed to return to their homes. Some affected properties suffered significant damage while others were spared from serious problems, said Beaver Mayor Matt Robinson.

[00:00:38]The American Red Cross has set up an emergency shelter at the Beaver High School gymnasium. We feel very blessed to be able to avoid serious injury or death, Robinson told KSL on Monday. The amount of water that came out of the Beaver Canyon yesterday, it's hard to explain. I mean, we've all seen pictures and videos. I saw some of it with my own eyes. It was incredible.

[00:00:59]Sunday's storm dumped one 59 in of rain within 45 minutes near Eagle Point Resort in the middle of the Cottonwood Fire burn scar. KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson said that sent excess water and debris into the Beaver River, which topped a diversion dam in Beaver Canyon as it made its way down to the city.

[00:01:20]Some residents had to be rescued from their rooftops as water and debris came rushing down. A section of I-15 was closed for hours as water and debris covered the roadway.

[00:01:32]>> KSL Chopper 5 flew over the flood damage Monday morning, witnessing sections of State Route 153 in the canyon covered with mud and debris, while some appeared to be washed out entirely.

[00:01:44]>> The highway was already closed because of the fire. Beaver residents were also told to drink bottled or boiled water until further notice due to damage to the culinary water system, a portion of which was washed out by the flood, Robinson said.

[00:01:58]>> The state helped Beaver officials prepare for flooding, including placing sandbags in some areas and having heavy equipment in place to clear debris for any debris flows. But the flooding that took place exceeded what everyone had expected, said Governor Spencer Cox.

[00:02:14]This was bigger than anybody anticipated, he said on Monday. Our hearts are broken for those who have lost their property or had their homes flooded.

[00:02:24]Utah officials deployed multiple resources right away. State emergency and transportation officials have met with local leaders over the damage and infrastructure loss, including damage to the water systems in the area, Cox said.

[00:02:38]He added that the state is also working with federal officials to assess the damage, including anticipated damage costs. In the meantime, city officials hope to lift the emergency water order by midday Wednesday, depending on the results of testing to ensure the water is safe to drink. Robinson said residents can still use city water to wash hands or shower and bathe. Nearby communities and organizations are working to provide food, water, and supplies to Beaver as residents deal with the flood's aftermath.

[00:03:09]People are really amazing, the mayor said. It's sad to go through a disaster like this, but one of the silver linings definitely is to see really how amazing people are.

[00:03:21]Beaver's planned Pioneer Day celebration later this week is still scheduled to take place as of now, Robinson said.

[00:03:29]However, Beaver and many communities across Utah aren't out of the woods just yet. Weather models indicate that showers and thunderstorms are expected to linger across Utah this week with increased flash flood potential across many parts of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday. Johnson said the National Weather Service issued more flood watches that cover most of southern and central Utah on Tuesday, which could be extended to later in the week. It notes that areas close to recent burn scars like the Cottonwood fire are at higher risk as are any slot canyons, floodprone terrains, and poor drainage areas. The atmosphere is going to be primed for pockets of heavy rainfall. Johnson said, "Not everyone will see the heavy rain, but the storms that do form are definitely going to be capable of some very heavy rainfall, even in valley locations."

[00:04:21]A fire captain, his wife, and their three sons have died after a flash flood in southern Utah. The family were hiking through the canyons near Biknell on Friday, July 17th, when heavy rain began to fall. According to the Associated Press, they were identified as Fire Captain Spencer Long and his family by Provo Fire and Rescue. Per the outlet, a daughter did not go on the trip. The family are believed to have arrived at the Sunglow campground area at around 11:30 a.m. according to a release from the Wayne County, Utah Sheriff's Office.

[00:04:54]The sheriff's office stated that they responded to the scene at around 5:00 p.m. following a report of a body being found. Deputies arrived and discovered the body of a young male in a wash near the Sunlow campground. The July 18th release read, "Wayne County Search and Rescue was activated to search for any additional individuals for what is believed to be a missing family group in the area."

[00:05:18]>> Authorities added, "During the search, two additional deceased males were found in the same wash. At this time, it is believed the family fell victim to flooding caused by heavy rains. In an update, the Wayne County, Utah Sheriff's Office stated that as of 12:13 p.m. on Saturday, July 18th, two other missing people had been found deceased in Bicknell.

[00:05:43]Identities of the deceased will not be released until families have been notified and positive identification has been made, the statement said at the time.

[00:05:53]On Sunday, July 19th, Provo Fire and Rescue paid tribute to their late Captain Long. "We are absolutely heartbroken by the death of Captain Spencer Long and his family," they wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of Long.

[00:06:07]"Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. Out of respect for the family and the ongoing official process, we will not be commenting further at this time." According to the AP, Katrina was the co-founder of Summit Medical Spa, whom called the incident tragic. It is with profound sadness and unimaginable heartbreak that we share the passing of our beloved co-founder Katrina Long along with her husband and their three sons in a tragic accident," the spa wrote on Facebook alongside a photo of the family. "There are simply no words to express the depth of this loss. Katrina was so much more than a co-founder. She was the heart of Summit Medical Spa, the spa added. She led with kindness, grace, and unwavering compassion, making every employee, client, and friend feel valued, supported, and truly appreciated. She had a remarkable gift for bringing people together and creating a place where everyone felt like family.

[00:07:10]People has reached out to the Wayne County, Utah Sheriff's Office, Provo Fire and Rescue, and the Utah Medical Examiner's Office for further comment.

[00:07:20]Meanwhile, a veteran Utah Public Safety Officer is recounting an aerial rescue mission during Sunday's flooding in Beaver. Sergeant Kyle Curtis is the Utah Department of Public Safety Arow Bureau base manager in St. George. The bureau has been fully operational there for 4 years after expanding DPS aerial response capabilities across Utah.

[00:07:44]Curtis has worked with the Aerob Bureau in various roles for 15 years. That's probably my first time hoisting out of that specific kind of scenario, but it wasn't really that much more challenging than anything. Curtis said, "This specific flood, the water had risen really high and caused a lot of damage to a lot of property really quick. and then it looked like it had kind of subsided. The worst of it was over by the time we got there, so we were just hoisting down into mud and debris.

[00:08:13]Curtis, who has participated in countless hoist rescue missions over the years, said the beaver operation was both unique and shocking because of the amount of debris, flood water, and damage to homes.

[00:08:25]>> I've never seen that before, Curtis said. It was a first for me and I think a first for the whole team that day.

[00:08:32]Despite the destruction, Curtis said the outcome was the best case scenario from a rescue standpoint and could have been much worse if residents had not heated flood warnings.

[00:08:43]The original reports of people needing help was there was somebody on the roof, Curtis said. As we got overhead, there was no longer anybody on the roof, but we did quickly locate a male individual.

[00:08:55]It looked like he was on his phone and walking around in the debris and the mud. Working as the rescue specialist, Curtis was lowered into the flooded area and ultimately hoisted a woman to safety after a medical device she relied on was damaged when flood water entered her home.

[00:09:12]I feel like we've prepared over the years for this and switching out the scenery and maybe what's happening doesn't really change the basics and the dynamics of being able to do a good hoist and to do it safely. Curtis said it's something we take very seriously.

[00:09:28]We love going out and helping people in need, especially in situations where there often aren't many other options for that rescue. It's something we take very seriously and I feel like we're very safe at doing it. We've got a lot of support in the state and we appreciate that. During a news briefing Monday morning, local and state officials said there were no fatalities from either the Cottonwood fire or the flooding. Officials said the mudslides and flooding compromised every home in the Grove area down to Interstate 15.