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APS, park crews work to clean up monsoon mess in Scottsdale
A monsoon ripped through Scottsdale last week and its destruction left a park closed, power lines on top of cars and electricity out for many.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Cleanup and repair efforts are still underway after the monsoon that ripped through the Valley on Thursday night.
Evidence of Thursday’s monsoon is still on display after Scottsdale was hit incredibly hard by the storm.
"We haven’t seen anything like this in quite a few years," one resident said. "It is pretty devastating. It will be hard to clean up.
RELATED: Phoenix area expecting another round of weekend monsoon storms
The force of the wind and rain knocked over trees all over the Valley, but especially at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.
Valerie Budnick is the community services supervisor at the park and says, "We have been a city park since 1965 and some of these trees are original to when we first opened so to see the destruction, it is pretty hard."
Luckily, there wasn’t any structural damage at the park.
As of Saturday park officials are working on cleaning up the debris and expect the park to reopen on Monday.
RELATED: Phoenix area cooled by monsoon rain; flooding reported across Arizona
Across the street near Lincoln Drive and Scottsdale Road, APS workers are restoring their lines after they were downed by repairing underground cables.
The storm knocked over power lines, some of them landing on cars, trapping people inside and caused thousands of people to lose power.
"Our APS powerlines are very dangerous. We ask our customers to stay down and away from downed powerlines to call 911," said Artie Garcia with APS.
Because monsoon season is only just beginning, APS says they have crews on standby ready to respond to incidents like this.
Rain/flood safety tips
The American Red Cross' tips for heavy rain situations and flood safety:
- Turnaround don’t drown! If you must drive and you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and go another way.
- If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground.
- Tune in to your local radio, NOAA radio, or news channels for the latest updates.
- If your neighborhood is prone to flooding, be prepared to evacuate quickly.
- Follow evacuation orders and do not attempt to return until officials say it is safe.
- If power lines are down, do not step in puddles or standing water.
- If power is out, use a flashlight. Do not use any open flame as alternate lighting.
Preparing for a severe thunderstorm
The American Red Cross' tips for preparing for a severe thunderstorm:
- Put together an emergency kit.
- Know your community’s evacuation plan.
- Create a household disaster plan and practice it.
- Purchase a battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Discuss thunderstorm safety with members of your household. Be aware that a thunderstorm could produce flooding.
- Pick a safe place in your home for household members to gather during a thunderstorm. This should be a place where there are no windows, skylights, or glass doors, which could be broken by strong winds or hail and cause damage or injury.
Be prepared and stay safe during the monsoon
"Most Valley residents know how quickly and furiously storms can move in and out, bringing strong winds, dust, rain, and flash flooding. These storms can cause interruptions in services, such as water, power, and gas," stated Captain Ashley Losch of the Glendale Fire Department.
GFD reminds residents of ways they can be prepared and stay safe:
- Have flashlights with extra batteries on hand.
- Have food that can be prepared without the need for cooking or refrigeration.
- Have at least one gallon of clean water for each person in the household.
- Have backup power for anyone requiring power for a medical device.
- Have backup power for cell phones that do not require charging.
- Have a first aid kit ready and accessible.
- Never drive into areas with flowing water; it takes less than 10 inches to wash a car away.
- Avoid flooded areas, such as washes.
- If waters are rising, seek higher ground.
- Do not approach downed power lines, the ground can be energized for up to 200 feet.
- Keep pets indoors during storms.
Tune in to FOX 10 Phoenix for the latest news:
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