PAYSON, Ariz. — Nine members of the same family, including six children, are dead in central Arizona after raging flood waters swept them away Saturday afternoon during a family outing at a swimming hole, authorities said. Rescue workers are searching for another family member, a 27-year-old man, still missing after the flash flooding.
The family was in the Tonto National Forest at the popular Cold Springs watering hole, along with dozens of others swimming in the East Verde River, when a wall of water came rushing through a narrow canyon, sweeping away the family, according to KNXV TV.
Officials found several of the victims as far as two miles downstream.
The victims include children between the ages of 2 and 13 and a 60-year-old grandmother.
Flash flood warnings were posted in the area on Saturday, KNXV reported.
Viewer Jack Lloyd sent us this picture of the flash flooding at the Cold Springs Swimming Hole Saturday, search is still active. #abc15 pic.twitter.com/htQF6HGU33
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) July 16, 2017
#LIVE: Search continues for missing man after flash flooding kills 9 in Payson on Saturday. https://t.co/MS3lVgnngZ #abc15 pic.twitter.com/BC8YgVdOQQ
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) July 17, 2017
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