Phoenix receives record rainfall for a single day

PHOENIX – The remnants of Hurricane Norbert pushed into the desert Southwest and swamped Phoenix with record rainfall for a single day, turning freeways into small lakes and sending rescuers scrambling to get drivers out of inundated cars.

At least two people died in the flooding, including a woman who was swept away in her car by rushing water and became trapped against a bridge. In addition, a 76-year-old woman drowned in floodwaters.

By Monday evening, floodwaters were threatening up to 100 homes in suburban Mesa after retention basins and channels along the U.S. 60 freeway reached or exceeded capacity, allowing water to flow into some neighborhoods, city officials said.

Crews were working to disconnect power to submerged transformers, provide sandbags to threatened homes and pump water from affected areas. A temporary shelter was being set up at a recreation center.

The flooding was caused by heavy thunderstorms and showers associated with Norbert after it was downgraded to a tropical depression.

Sections of the two main east-west and north-south freeways through Phoenix – Interstates 10 and 17 – were closed during the morning commute, snarling traffic across the metro area.

Cars and SUVs sat in water up to their hoods on Interstate 10, while dozens of motorists parked on its wide, banked borders to stay clear of the water. The National Weather Service recorded 3.29 inches of rain at the Phoenix airport, by far the most precipitation ever received in one day in the city. The previous record was 2.91 inches in 1939.

Other Phoenix metro areas received staggering amounts of rain for the desert. Chandler recorded 5.63 inches, while Mesa had 4.41 inches.

Storms also hit Nevada, where an Indian reservation was evacuated Monday and officials feared water could breach a dam after more than 4 inches of rain fell on the town of Moapa in a two-hour period.