Search and Rescue Efforts Ongoing in Gila County
PHOENIX – Efforts to search, rescue, and clean up following devastating flooding in Gila County were still underway on Monday, particularly in the Grove area.
The incident management team from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) is coordinating these multi-agency search and debris removal operations.
Today, teams are actively working across Grove and Gila counties, utilizing various resources, including drones for aerial missions as ground personnel take a break.
Since Saturday, crews have focused on locating a vehicle that was swept away in Pinal Creek. Six search and rescue teams, equipped with cadaver dogs, will pause their efforts today and resume on Tuesday. On Sunday, the dogs covered approximately six miles, but there are still about 11 miles left to survey between Grove and Miami.
The DFFM indicated that the drone unit continues to lead the search activities on Monday. Additionally, U.S. Forest Service Hotshot crews are involved in logging and clearing debris in the affected areas east of Broad Street.
Heavy machinery is also being deployed to remove numerous propane tanks that were inundated as a result of flooding from local power distribution facilities.
Casualties Confirmed
The Gila County Department of Public Health and Community Services has confirmed three deaths attributed to the flooding, though the number of missing individuals remains unclear.
Governor Katie Hobbs declared a state of emergency for Gila County on Saturday, which led to the release of $200,000 from the Governor’s Emergency Fund to assist in ongoing recovery efforts.
Over the span of 24 hours, about 2.5 inches of rain fell in the Grove, causing the swift flooding of streets and creeks. The downtown area was particularly affected, with one propane tank distributor being hit hard while it was shipping roughly 1,000 large tanks throughout the vicinity.
Authorities are urging residents to refrain from searching through the floodwaters as it may interfere with the work of search teams. The dogs may become distracted by new scents, which could complicate rescue operations.
Due to the flooding, the Arizona Department of Transportation has canceled planned daytime closures of US 60 between Superior and Miami for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. However, it’s worth noting that cleanup operations may still cause delays in the area.
