Paulden residents stranded due to floodwaters damaging roads

PAULDEN, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Some residents across Arizona are stranded because of rising floodwaters that are covering and damaging roads. People in Paulden, Arizona, say there are two roads in and out of their neighborhood. Both are not safe to pass because of the rising water.

“We’re pretty stuck where we are at,” Paulden resident Amy Johnson said. “My kids have missed school the past couple of days because I can’t get them to school. It’s having an impact on our community for sure.”

Johnson says they became stranded Wednesday morning. She recorded a video that shows the road she takes to get around flooded. Some areas of the road are falling apart. Johnson said after storms last week, some residents tried to fix the road, but the rain this week brought more flooding and damage. “It was too much water and debris that had come down the wash that completely destroyed that access road,” she said.

There is a bridge that is a secondary route, but that was also submerged. Johnson is now wondering if Yavapai County will help them fix the damaged road. We asked the county, but they didn’t respond.

Officials want to remind people never to cross flooded roadways. The National Weather Service says six inches of water can be enough to knock over and carry a person away. A foot of rushing water can carry a small car. Eighteen to 24 inches of water is enough to lift and carry an SUV or truck downstream.

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