Search underway for missing 70-year-old man swept away in Arizona flooding

A 57-year-old hiker is rescued from a mountain trail near Superior, Arizona after breaking her ankle. 

CORDES LAKES, Ariz.– Search and rescue teams are looking for a missing 70-year-old Arizona man whose vehicle was swept away during flooding on Tuesday in Yavapai County. 

According to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, residents called 911 after a car was swept up in flash flooding in Big Bug Creek in Cordes Lakes. 

Upon arriving at the scene, YCSO deputies noticed a small car floating downstream with two men on top of the vehicle’s trunk. 

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A closed section of road in Cordes Lakes, Arizona, during flash flooding. 

(Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook / FOX Weather)

A deputy quickly entered the raging floodwaters and managed to pull one man to safety as the floodwaters caused the car to turn over, YCSO said. 

The rescued man told the deputy he went into the floodwaters to try and save the driver of the car that got pulled into the flooding. 

The 70-year-old driver was last seen as the car was carried downstream. 

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YCSO said the car was found two miles downstream, lodged next to a tree. 

Search teams found no one in or around the car. 

The rushing waters of Big Bug Creek as search and rescue teams stand at the banks of the creek. 

(Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook / FOX Weather)

A family member confirmed the driver of the car never made it to his destination. 

The banks of the creek from where the vehicle entered the water and where it stopped and beyond were searched with no luck. 

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Search efforts at the creek and the Agua Fria River continued into Wednesday, YCSO said. 

Search and rescue operations continued Wednesday for the missing 70-year-old man who was swept away during flooding. 

(Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook / FOX Weather)

The sheriff’s office warned of the extreme danger posed by flooding conditions and asked residents to avoid the area around Big Bug Creek while search operations continued. 

“Please help keep yourself safe by exercising caution and avoiding dangerous areas throughout the county during this week’s hazardous weather event,” Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said.