At least 16 killed as flash floods strike Utah

On Tuesday, the streets were caked in red mud and earth movers cleared the roads piled up with mounds of dirt.

Television footage of the flooding showed women being rescued from vehicles while wearing the distinctive prairie pioneer dresses of the sect. The victims were believed to have been on their way home from visiting a park.

The members of the group were from California and Nevada, and they were all in their 40s and 50s. But on Tuesday afternoon, he was waiting for official confirmation. One survivor was found downstream at a bank in town.

As of Tuesday evening, one person was missing, according to CNN.

In Zion National Park to the north, four people died and three were missing after going to explore canyons on Monday (local time), officials said.

Residents search along the Short Creek after a flash flood in Hildale, Utah, on September 15, 2015.

While talking about the latest tragedy, Spencer Cox, the state’s lieutenant governor told the media, “Obviously this is one of the worst weather-related disasters in the history of the state of Utah…Because of that, we’re bringing the full resources of the state to bear”.

The victims were mainly women and children who were trying to drive over a gully in Hildale when their cars were swept away. It came rushing down and engulfed their vehicles.

“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never seen anything like this”, Hildale Mayor Philip Barlow said. “We have to take what we receive and do the best we can”.

The rescue workers said they could not find a pulse.

100 search and rescue officers are on the scene, along with 500 volunteers from the community who are desperately searching for those still missing.

So far the bodies of 12 people have been recovered in the left over mud and rubble that swept downstream in the giant fast moving wall of water.

The National Weather Service had issued a flood warning about three hours earlier for the area, saying: “Move to higher ground now. Act shortly to guard your life”.

“I’m amazed at what’s come to help us”, said Barlow.

More more than a centimeter (0.5 inches) of rain is expected in the area Tuesday, according to forecasts.

Brian McInerney, a National Weather Service hydrologist in Salt Lake City, said the torrent had been a “100-year event”.

The youngest child was about four, Kevin Barlow said.

Witness Chris Wyler said rain and hail walloped Hildale within minutes – then quickly subsided.

The main population of the flash flood affected region comes from the more than 7,000 members of the Warren Jeffs’ polygamous sect.

The storm seemed to directly hit a drainage area upstream from the border communities, Conger said.

Four others who were exploring the canyon were missing Tuesday, and Baltrus said rescuers wouldn’t be able to go into the small canyon until conditions improved.