In Utah’s Zion National Park, a flash flood Friday afternoon swept many hikers off their feet in the Narrows, a popular section of Zion Canyon that requires a ford on the Virgin River. At least one person was swept downstream and injured, while several others managed to find higher ground and were rescued by emergency responders, the National Park Service said. But later that night, friends reported Jetal Agnihotri of Tucson, Arizona, missing. He has not returned from hiking the Narrows, the park service said. Her brother, Pujan Agnihotri, told KSLTV that his sister could not swim. Parts of the park remained closed Sunday, according to its website. On Saturday in New Mexico, visitors to Carlsbad Caverns National Park were forced to evacuate for more than nine hours because flooded roads became impassable, according to the Eddy County Office of Emergency Management. Authorities said they responded to calls of visitors who attempted to cross streams and got stuck in their cars. Noting that water as little as 1 foot high can wash away vehicles, emergency officials on Facebook repeated their weekend mantra to drivers: “Turn around, don’t drown.” Jennifer Armendariz, the emergency manager for Eddy County, said officials had performed a few rescues, including a family whose vehicle had flipped on its side and a couple trapped on the roof of their car. No injuries were reported. Armendariz said educating the public about not crossing streams with vehicles during a flood has been an ongoing challenge. While the water may not always look deep, “it’s not worth the risk to try to cross it,” he said, adding that a man in the county died last year in such a situation. “I think it was a jeep of some kind that was lifted off the ground a little bit, so he felt he was above the water enough to be able to go through it,” he said. “Unfortunately, he took the vehicle and took him.” The shelter-in-place order at Carlsbad Caverns was received late Saturday, and about 200 visitors and staff members were evacuated, he said. On Sunday, crews began clearing debris from the roadway. Monsoon moisture is contributing to more frequent showers and thunderstorms, the National Weather Service said in Utah and New Mexico. The monsoon is a seasonal change in winds that can lead to increased moisture levels on land, causing more frequent storms, according to the weather service. From the southern Plains to the lower Mississippi River Valley, heavy rainfall was expected to continue through the week, with a continued risk of flash flooding, the weather service said. As of Sunday, more than 100,000 people in the United States were under a flood watch, according to the weather service. National parks in southern Utah remain at risk of flash flooding Sunday, the weather service in Salt Lake City said. Flash floods don’t just happen in areas near water bodies. They can be launched anywhere there is heavy rainfall for a short period of time. As the climate warms, researchers expect flash floods to increase and become “brighter,” resulting in shorter but more intense floods. This story was originally published on nytimes.com. Read it here.
