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ENOCH, Iron County — 69 homes were damaged by flooding Friday evening after a thunderstorm rolled through southern Utah. One family was displaced when the power had to be turned off in their home as a safety precaution.
"We have different levels of damage throughout the city," said Enoch police Sgt. Mike Berg.
He said nearly 1,000 volunteers showed up to help the Iron County Emergency Management team fill sandbags as heavy rains flowed from the foothills to the streets, leaving two inches of rain in some basements.
"The water literally rushed off the mountain and straight into the city," Berg said.
One home was flooded with more than 5 feet of water, displacing two families who lived at a home at the south end of Pioneer Drive.
Surface streets in Cedar City were also flooded by the 5:30 p.m. downpour and at least one roadway was closed due to excess mud, water and rocks washed down from the storm. City water and sewer systems were unaffected by the storm.
No one was injured and the American Red Cross was assisting the displaced family with housing, clothing and food for the night.
KSL meteorologist Kevin Eubank said a high pressure zone ushered in the storm and rainfall would be limited Saturday, but clouds would still be an issue.
The Red Cross has sent a team to assist two families in Enoch who have been displaced.
The cleanup begins
The water is gone but the clean-up has begun. Homes are covered in mud and covered in grime. This is what five feet of rushing rain water leaves behind. When it poured through the basement windows of at least one home, sandbags couldn't stop it and the sump pump couldn't keep up.
"This basement filled up in minutes," said resident Jana Perkins. "It just happened so fast."
Perkins was living in the basement of the home. All she and her family had worked for is now gone. "All the pictures of my kids. Everything."
Her home was the hardest hit. Other neighbors saw just a few inches.
"There was water coming through the windows, all our windows on the outside were flooded," said Celeste Lyman.
Lawns are ruined and roads washed out. But during the worst of it all, no one was alone. Enoch City Manager Rob Dotson was there helping. He says the city immediately went to work - the Fire Department, Public Works and Emergency Management. But it was neighbor helping neighbor that made the difference.
"It turned out to be an extremely well-rehearsed, well-planned-out event when it comes to people helping people," Dotson said.
