Flash Flooding Prompts Evacuations in Sedona and Southwest

Sedona officials placed evacuation Zones 8, 9 and 10 near Oak Creek in “GO” status on November 1, directing residents to leave immediately. The creek was rising quickly, and emergency crews were responding to reports of people trapped in homes. Sedona Red Rock High School was designated as a shelter, and crews from nearby communities came to assist.

Authorities urged people to move to higher ground, avoid creek beds and washes, and never drive across roads covered by flowing water. Flooding led to closures on several Arizona routes, including the highway numbered 89A linking Sedona with Kachina Village and northbound Interstate 17 at State Route 169. Officials had not estimated when the affected highways would reopen.

In Cedar Creek, people living beside the river were likewise ordered to evacuate, with Canyon Day Junior High serving as a shelter. People along River Road were told to prepare to leave quickly if water levels continued to rise.

In Pagosa Springs, Colorado, officials warned that the San Juan River could bring devastating floods, with water levels expected to exceed 19 feet late November 1. Residents in low-lying areas along several rivers were told to go to a designated church shelter, and officials said the highway into town would close to inbound traffic on the afternoon of November 1.

Rain that began Saturday evening was expected to continue through Monday, with as much as 4 inches forecast across the region. Flood watches covered nearly all of Arizona and parts of neighboring states.