But for someone like Tatum Loll, 17, of Cottonwood, that wasn’t possible.

The teenager, who is on spring break this week, was scheduled to work a shift at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory shop in the Sedona shopping district. opposite) was found several feet under water. She couldn’t let anyone in her neighborhood leave.

“It wasn’t that high yesterday, so I didn’t really care. But it started going up last night. I ended up in my neighbor’s garage across the street,” Lol said. “It was pretty scary.

Loll said the last time she remembered seeing a flood in the street was when she was five years old.

Heavy rains all day Wednesday and the effects of snowmelt at higher elevations could be seen on access roads, some streets and at least one major highway in the Verde Valley region.

State Route 89A, which connects Sedona to Flagstaff, remains closed due to a large rockfall and other debris, said Jason Coyle, deputy fire chief for the Sedona Fire District. However, flooded low water crossings should improve throughout the day.

The City of Sedona said in a statement around 6 p.m. Wednesday that 10 areas, including the Rancho Sedona RV Park and Center for the New Age, are in “go” status and must be evacuated immediately.

As a precaution, a shelter was set up in the Camp Verde Middle School gymnasium.

Flagstaff’s National Weather Service said light to moderate flooding is expected Thursday along Oak Creek, Wetbeaver Creek, the Verde River and the Little Colorado River.

However, the water level rose quickly. Oak Creek near Sedona has risen about seven feet (2 meters) in 12 hours since Wednesday morning, said Brian Krymovski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff.

He advised residents and visitors to follow the forecast as another storm system is expected in the area early next week and will continue through Wednesday. It’s too early to tell how severe it will be or if more flooding is likely.

Weather conditions didn’t stop many tourists from checking out Sedona on Thursday. . Much of the local economy comes from guests who want to join Jeep on his tours and hikes. Uptown Sedona, lined with souvenir shops, is also a big draw.

Noel Akrabawi, manager of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory where Lol works, said: “The wettest days are the busiest days for us.”

Akrabawi, who was at her home in Rimrock, said one of her staff members actually lives in Sedona, which allowed her to open the store.

“This was the worst winter in my memory,” she said.

While it’s important for stores to try to stay open during such inclement weather, Akrabawi is always careful not to put his employees at risk. Most of the staff are college or high school age and may not have experience driving the roads of Sedona in the rain. She also hopes more tourists will pay attention to the forecast.

“I would like to reiterate to everyone that it is very important to address this issue,” Akrabawi said. I have.”