A wave of rushing water after a flash flood in northern Arizona on Sunday sent mud and huge boulders crashing onto U.S. Highway 89A near the Grand Canyon, leaving transportation crews with a massive cleanup effort ahead of them after the storm.
The Arizona Department of Transportation reported that a 24-mile-long stretch of the highway was closed from about five miles west of Marble Canyon, Arizona, to Jacob Lake, near the junction of U.S. highways 89A and 67, the route to the north rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
The flash floods were part of a storm that swept through the Gray Mountain area of Arizona, located about 27 miles north of Flagstaff, leaving behind reports of a tornado and wind gusts up to 70 mph, according to AZCentral.com.
Tricia Leonhardt, a resident of nearby Avondale, told the Arizona Republic she was driving west on 89A near Marble Canyon when the storm hit, and saw the flash floods that swept boulders and other debris onto the highway. The floods appeared to be about 4 to 5 feet deep on the roads, she said.
"It was nuts," she added in an interview. "I've never seen anything like it."
Crews were dispatched to clear the highways of boulders and thick mud, and ADOT said they expected 89A to remain closed at least through late Monday morning.
0 comments:
Post a Comment