A hiker swept away by flash floods and torrential rain was still missing Monday as a weekend of storms forced hundreds to evacuate in recent weather disasters to hit national parks across the United States.
Heavy rains also wreaked havoc in parts of Texas on Monday, as forecasters predicted more precipitation across the southern part of the country for the remainder of the week.
Jetal Agnihotri, whose park officials said they were still looking for Monday, was one of several hikers hit by surging waters on Friday as flash floods ripped through an area of Utah’s Zion National Park called the Narrows, known for its red rock cliffs and towering gorges.
One injured hiker was carried hundreds of feet downstream by the sudden flooding, while others remained stranded until rangers reached them, the National Park Service said.
Around 200 people had to be evacuated at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico after being trapped by rising water for several hours.
No one was injured in this incident.
The flash flooding came after torrential rains battered the drought-hit southwest, falling several inches in a short period of time.
Downtown Moab, Utah, was submerged three feet by the rains, a city spokeswoman was quoted as saying by the New York Times.
“We had water coming through in a huge rush along with a lot of debris and some full sized trees,” Lisa Church said, adding that the river had burst its banks in three places.
Elsewhere, footage showed children in Arizona being rescued from a school bus stranded by rising waters.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said north Texas is expected to be hit with up to seven inches of rain this week, with parts of Mississippi state also expected to be affected.
“Much of this rainfall will be beneficial and welcome due to the effects of a prolonged drought,” the agency said.
“But the potential for flash flooding in urban areas and places with poor drainage still exists.”
Flash flood warnings were in effect around Dallas on Monday, with forecasters predicting difficult road conditions, and videos showed vehicles being submerged in flood water while driving overnight in the city.
“Turn back, don’t drown when you come across flooded roads. Most fatalities from flooding occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and don’t drive on flooded roads,” the NWS said.
– worsening of drought –
The western United States has been mired in a painful drought for more than 20 years, severely depleting rivers and reservoirs and leaving the landscape bone dry.
But sudden, heavy downpours are often not helpful.
“When the water comes all the way down in a very short time, it drains,” Chris Rasmussen, an NWS meteorologist in Tucson, Arizona, told AFP last week.
“It doesn’t stand a chance of really penetrating the ground like you’d like to see.
“It’s always nice to have a good, moderate amount of rain over a long period of time.”
Human activities, particularly the overuse of fossil fuels over the last century, have caused the Earth’s average temperature to rise.
This has changed weather patterns, worsening droughts in some parts of the world and increasing storms in other areas.
Much of Europe has suffered an intense heatwave in recent months, with record low rainfall draining rivers and leaving the countryside vulnerable to wildfires.
Chinese authorities said Monday they would shut down key landmarks to conserve energy as surging rivers make hydroelectric power plants go dark.
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