Flash Flooding Turns Roads Into Rivers, Washes Away Toyota Prius

Flagstaff was hit by torrential rains earlier in the week.

This dramatic video captures flash floods that swept through Flagstaff, Arizona this week. The 2019 Museum Fire left land barren and damaged. It allowed rain to flood neighborhoods, bringing with it massive amounts of water and debris. Residents have been anticipating it since the fire. However, this is the first time that there has been enough rain to cause flooding.

12 News reports that Coconino County officials claimed only two inches of rain fell upon a section of the Museum Fire scar. This was enough to cause flooding in the area, which clogged up roads and swept away cars. After a fire, ground doesn’t absorb as much water. Rain directly on the area that was burned could have made it worse. This week, torrential rain fell on the area Tuesday and Wednesday.

After floodwaters washed away their Jeep Wrangler, fast-moving water left a father and his two daughters stranded on the roof. One clip from a flood video shows the water washing down a Toyota Prius, colliding with a white Dodge Ram pickup further down the road. Some residents had sandbags placed outside their homes to help keep the water from reaching their homes.

There have been no reports yet of any deaths or serious injuries from flash flooding in the area. The recent flooding serves as a reminder of how humans rarely can stop nature. Oregon was hit by an extreme heatwave last month that made roads crack and buckle. This shows how connected we truly are to the natural world and the world around it.