Historic Amount of Rainfall Threatens Arizonans

By Nidah Chatriwala, TMO

Rain showers in the desert are usually celebrated, but not this time. Heavy rainfall caused by Hurricane Norbert near Mexico region brought everything except for fun.

Due to showers overnight, Monday traffic was the worst as highways were flooded causing cars to float like boats. People had no choice but to leave their cars behind to save themselves grabbing only a handful of valuables to take with them. Some swam to the gravel on the side of the exit ramp while others had to be rescued by the police department. Roadway closures prevented many from reaching schools and to work.

Many local businesses and grocery stores such as Fry’s closed their doors to drain water out of their facilities and moved goods to dry areas.

Homeowners were hit the hardest as gushing water and power outages woke many up as early as 2 a.m. on Monday morning. Some owners had their roof fall through due to the weight of the water while others dragged their feet in their rooms in floodwater to get to safer grounds.

“This is a lot of water!” Glenn Talbott told Phoenix New Times while standing on a corner in six inches of water with his dog, Loretta.

That was the worst part of the picture. A minor bunch of Arizonans, however, strived to do their best to find positivity in the storm. Many took out their canoes and small boats and sailed through residential streets to offer whatever type of help possible to their neighbors. One thing is for sure, this dark storm didn’t take away people’s inner light.

Though the storm has surpassed, Arizona will take some time to recover from the damages.

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