29-foot surge destroys more than a dozen homes in Camp Verde

Central Arizona experienced severe flash flooding on Sunday night as swollen waterways rose rapidly.

Emergency officials reported that more than a dozen homes in the Camp Verde area were destroyed by the fast-rising waters. Dozens of residents fled their properties as rivers and creeks spilled over their banks.

The American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter at the Camp Verde Town Gym. Staff installed room dividers, cots, and supplies for displaced families. Local authorities issued immediate evacuation orders for residents living along the Verde River, West Clear Creek, and Wet Beaver Creek.

The Phoenix Fire Department sent specialized rescue units north on Interstate 17 to support local crews. Those teams spent the day extracting trapped residents from their homes. Public works officials warned that conditions could worsen overnight as upstream runoff continued to push water through the region.

Mary Hempe, a resident of a Camp Verde mobile home park, described the urgency of the situation. Her home is currently surrounded by standing water. She stated, “They are talking 29 feet. 29 feet.” Hempe noted that she had been trying for an hour to get authorities to take the situation seriously before marshals arrived at her door to enforce the evacuation order.

Damage extended to Lake Montezuma and Rimrock, where floodwaters knocked down trees and submerged entire roadways. Debris tangled around semi-trucks in the area. Residents Tori Talkington and her partner watched a nearby creek swell by 20 feet in roughly seven minutes. Talkington said, “It was so fast you have no time to think.” She added that they were lucky to escape as the surge moved past their house toward neighbors down the road.

Search-and-rescue teams continued working through the affected areas. An active, leaking propane tank broke loose in the floodwaters and drifted near neighboring properties. Officials urged all residents in low-lying areas to monitor emergency updates and follow local “Go” evacuation orders immediately.