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A Closer Look At The Flash Flood That Killed An Arizona Family

payson stream
(Photo by Stina Sieg - KJZZ)
On July 15, this stream near Payson, Arizona, was 40 feet wide as flood waters swept through.

On July 15, 2017, Selia Garcia’s family had come together outside of Payson to celebrate her daughter’s 27th birthday.

But a dramatic flash flood pushed through unexpectedly and killed 10 members of that family. The severity of the flood was one sign of how unpredictable and destructive the Arizona monsoon season can be — with its lightning, wind, rain and microbursts.

Michael Kiefer of the Arizona Republic has written about the flash flood in an extensive multimedia package called "Into the Water." He joined The Show to talk about it.

Steve Goldstein was a host at KJZZ from 1997 to 2022.