Flooding leaves 3 dead in Globe as Arizona governor declares state of emergency

Four people died after heavy rain caused flooding in Arizona, including three in a rural 19th-century mining town where floodwaters forced people to seek safety on their rooftops and washed out a propane distributorship, scattering about 1,000 tanks downtown.

About 2.5 inches of rain fell in Globe, a city of about 7,250 people about 88 miles east of Phoenix, on Friday, and another storm moved in Saturday, temporarily halting the search for people possibly missing in the flood.

The bodies of two people were earlier found in a vehicle and another person was found in the floodwaters in Globe, Carl Melford, emergency manager in Gila County, said. They were not immediately identified by authorities.

Another person was found dead Saturday morning near a vehicle caught in floodwaters in suburban Phoenix the night before. The vehicle appeared to be empty after it was spotted partially submerged in about 8 feet of fast-moving water on Friday evening in a greenbelt park area, the Scottsdale Fire Department said. After the water dropped a bit overnight, crews found the body of a person pinned underneath a walkway bridge, the department said.

Streets flooded in the nearby mining town of Miami on Saturday, but no injuries were reported, Carl Melford, emergency manager in Gila County, said.

Meanwhile, about 20 tourists stranded in parts of the Havasupai Indian Reservation, including at scenic Havasu Falls, because of flooding were evacuated, Bureau of Indian Affairs dispatcher Shaileen Gonzales said.

In the rural community of Globe, one of Arizona's oldest mining towns, sheriffs’ officials were looking into reports of people who may be missing, Melford said, but could not specify a number.

“We now have a massive search and rescue underway,” he said.

Jessica Weider is a Globe resident.

“You know, we’ve had a lot of volunteers trying to come out and help everyone who has been impacted by this storm but as of right now due to the fatalities, they're asking everyone to stand back as they try to recover the bodies that they’re finding," she said.

On Saturday, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced declared a state of emergency in Gila County due to flooding.

“I’m heartbroken by the devastation in Gila County, my thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones and the residents whose lives have been impacted,” Hobbs said. “This declaration is a commitment to the people of Gila County that Arizona will deliver every resource available to help. We will continue to work around the clock to ensure communities throughout Gila County that have been impacted by devastating flooding have the support they need to protect life and property.”

Rain poured down and quickly flooded the downtown area Friday, Melford said. One of the first areas hit was a propane tank distributor, sending about 1,000 residential-sized tanks throughout the community, he said.

“There’s propane tanks everywhere through downtown Globe,” he said, adding that hazmat workers have been sent to the scene. “Luckily none of them ignited or exploded.”

Globe Mayor Al Gameros says the main objective remains search and rescue in the waterways. A public safety alert advises people to avoid the city’s historic downtown because of compromised buildings and hazardous chemicals and debris, including the propane bottles.

“They're all downtown. They're in residential areas. I was told this morning there's probably over a thousand bottles that were released out of this facility to the south of the city because the water got that high," he said.

The mayor says city officials contacted multiple entities, including the governor’s office.

The area previously experienced flooding in 2021 after a wildfire, but it didn’t happen like this, Melford said. The city is near canyons that can funnel water from the mountains into the community very quickly.

“This was an extremely heavy amount of rain in an extremely short period of time,” he said.

The American Red Cross in Arizona says it opened evacuation shelters in High Desert Middle School and Lee Kornegay Intermediate School in nearby Miami.

Videos shared on social media show vehicles in Globe being swept away by rushing, muddy water, with some smashed up against poles and large propane tanks scattered around.

Authorities are asking residents to not go out searching in the floodwaters because search and rescue officials are accompanied by dogs who might pick up the scent of aspiring volunteers instead of possible flood victims. If people want to help, they should start by assisting friends and neighbors in need, Melford said.

Globe City Council members declared an emergency, saying they have never seen anything like the flooding.

Scores of people have stepped up to volunteer, Gameros said, adding that many buildings in the community’s downtown have been damaged. Officials asked people to stay away from the area until they could ensure it is safe to go in there.

“Our primary, again, is search and rescue,” Gameros said Saturday.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story from The Associated Press misspelled Globe Mayor Al Gameros' name.