TONTO NATIONAL FOREST, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on deadly flash flooding in a national forest in Arizona (all times local):
6:30 p.m.
Additional crews from around Arizona are expected to join in the search for a 27-year-old man still missing after a flash flood in central Arizona.
Authorities say several more trained dogs also will be part of the search Tuesday for Hector Garnica, which still is being called a search and rescue rather than a body recovery.
Detective David Hornung of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office says he’s seen miracles happen before and searchers haven’t given up hope of finding Garnica alive.
But Hornung says monsoon rains forecast through Friday may make the search more difficult.
The search was suspended Monday afternoon because of thunderstorms moving into the Tonto National Forest area.
Garnica was the father of three children - ages 3, 5 and 7 - who died after being swept away by the rushing water.
Hornung says Garnica’s wife also died in the floodwaters. Family and friends identified Maria Raya-Garcia as Hector Garnica’s wife.
A torrent of water came Saturday as people were cooling off in a creek when a rainstorm upstream unleashed floodwaters.
In all, nine people who were part of Garnica’s extended family died after being swept away.
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5:30 p.m.
A relative is remembering the husband-and-wife victims of the flash flooding that killed nine members of an extended family in Arizona as warm and generous with their money and time.
Seventeen-year-old Jessica Mandujano is the second cousin of Hector Garnica, who is missing after the weekend flooding. His wife, Maria Raya-Garcia, is among the dead.
Mandujano said Monday that the couple was always throwing parties and buying pizza for all the kids in the extended family.
She said Raya-Garcia was really kind, and someone you could talk to about any topic for hours and get advice.
Mandujano says it’s hard to accept that so many members of the family are dead, and that it feels like a lie.
She said the extended family came to the U.S. over a period of 20 years from Guanajuato, Mexico, seeking better job opportunities.
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4:15 p.m.
The search for a 27-year-old man still missing after a flash flood in central Arizona has been suspended because of a severe thunderstorm moving into the area.
Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier says the search was stopped around 4 p.m. Monday as light rain with thunder and lightning hit the Tonto National Forest area.
He says the search for Hector Garnica will resume Tuesday morning, weather permitting.
Garnica was the father of three children - ages 3, 5 and 7 - who died after being swept away by the rushing water.
Detective David Hornung of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office says Garnica’s wife also died in the floodwaters at the Tonto National Forest.
Family and friends identified Maria Raya-Garcia as Hector Garnica’s wife.
A torrent of water came Saturday as people were cooling off in a creek when a rainstorm upstream unleashed floodwaters.
In all, nine people who were part of Garnica’s extended family died after being swept away.
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4 p.m.
A teen who was stranded by deadly flash flooding in Arizona says she can’t get the roar of the rushing water out of her head.
Seventeen-year-old Nancy Coto says she was stuck for four hours on a slab of rock Saturday after the water thick with trees and other debris cut off access to a hiking trail. She, her boyfriend and his family had to wait for the floodwater to recede before they could leave.
The flooding killed several people from an extended family. Several others had to be rescued, including a man clinging to a tree with his baby and his wife nearby.
Coto says her boyfriend and his dad tried to help the man in the tree, but he was too far off to reach.
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2:15 p.m.
An Arizona man who went missing during a flash flood in central Arizona was the father of three children who died after being swept away by the rushing water.
Detective David Hornung of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office says Monday that Hector Garnica’s wife also died in the floodwaters at the Tonto National Forest.
In all, nine people who were part of Garnica’s extended family died after being swept away.
Hornung confirmed that 7-year-old Danial, 5-year-old Mia and 3-year-old Emily Garnica died in the flood.
Family and friends identified Maria Raya-Garcia as Hector Garnica’s wife. Crews were searching the area for Garnica, the only person who remains missing.
A torrent of water came Saturday as people were cooling off in a creek when a rainstorm upstream unleashed floodwaters.
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11:50 a.m.
Authorities have released the identities of the five children and four adults who died after being swept away during a flash flood at a swimming hole in central Arizona.
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office also provided the names of four people who were rescued from the floodwaters Saturday at the Tonto National Forest.
Those who died were Jonathan Leon, 13; Mia Garnica, 5; Emily Garnica, 3; Danial Garnica, 7; Javier Raya-Garcia, 19; Selia Garcia Castaneda, 57; Erica Raya-Garcia, 2; Maribel Raya-Garcia, 24; and Maria Raya-Garcia, 27.
Authorities say the victims were members of an extended family.
Those who were rescued were Julio Garcia, 29; Esthela Atondo, 28; Acis Garcia, 8; and Marina Garcia, 1.
Crews are searching for a 27-year-old man who remains missing.
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8:45 a.m.
Authorities say the person who is still missing from a flash flood in central Arizona that killed nine other people wasn’t a 13-year-old boy but rather a 27-year-old man.
Detective David Hornung of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office says Monday that the boy’s body was found by searchers Sunday.
Hornung says the error in characterizing who was still missing was discovered late Sunday or early Monday and was attributed to miscommunications due to the large number of victims.
About 40 volunteer search-and-rescue workers and four search dogs resumed the search early Monday.
A torrent of water came Saturday as people were cooling off in a creek that suddenly turned treacherous when a rainstorm upstream unleashed floodwaters in the Tonto National Forest.
Authorities haven’t identified those who died in the floodwaters.
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7:40 a.m.
Crews were headed out to the scene of a flash flood in central Arizona to resume the search for a 13-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters that also took the lives of nine other people.
Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier says he saw searchers headed toward the scene early Monday.
Searchers will walk the area and seek any sign of the boy.
The torrent of water came Saturday as people were cooling off in a creek that suddenly turned treacherous when a rainstorm upstream unleashed floodwaters in the Tonto National Forest.
Search and rescue crews recovered the bodies of five children and four adults, some as far as 2 miles down the river.
Authorities did not identify them.
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