Arizona Pinoys shocked by record rainfall and floods

By Fleur Magbanua Mansur, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Sept. 9, 2014

PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer declared a statewide emergency after the state was slammed with unprecedented rainfall early Monday morning.

The rainfall caused massive flooding and turned major interstate freeways and numerous roads into rivers that stranded commuters, closed schools, and caused power outages to 10,000 customers.

The National Weather Service recorded more than three inches of rain in Phoenix –- a record rainfall for a single day.

Two people have died in southern Arizona because of the floods.

Myton Ouano, a Pinoy registered nurse, was stuck at work after working a 12-hour-night shift in a Phoenix based hospital.

“Konti lang ang dumating, saka maraming tumatawag na hindi makakating dahil stuck sa baha, saka ano talaga ang traffic,” said Ouano. “A lot of people nag call out talaga, dahil di sila makadaan.”

After a few hours of waiting, he was able to leave his workplace and got home safely.

Heidee Salazar was stuck at home without power in Avondale. She said she has never expected the desert to be full of water.

According to Heidee, these roads were flooded earlier, making it impossible for her to go to work.

“I started my car back up, then looked – I can’t drive anywhere, it’s so flooded,” said Heidee. “It’s almost to my thighs. I was scared to drive my car. I called in.”

Although heavy rain is expected here during the monsoon season, Heidee said she was not prepared for it.

“This is crazy. This is the first time that it happened in this part of the neighborhood,” said Heidee. “I know we needed the rain. This is the first time that the water got so high. I didn’t realize we had a lake in the back of our house.”

Kay Oballo, a business owner, said, “Yung mga staff di nakapasok lahat, kasi yung isang staff naming, yung bahay nila na flooded pati neighborhood nila.”

“We are in a state of emergency,” he continued. “We have to see the patients, the more we have to see the patients. We need to be sure our patients are taken care of at yung mga hindi mapuntahan ay natawagan.”

By mid-afternoon, flood waters were drained and most roads became passable.

“We had to stay for two hours at a restaurant until the flood was over,” said Theo Tungol, who was stranded by the flood. “The flood was over when we got home.”