A woman died Saturday afternoon after being rescued from the Rillito River after a monsoon saturated the Tucson area, according to Tucson Fire and Police officials.
The Tucson Fire Department said crews responded to more than 25 calls in a 90-minute span after the monsoon storm on Saturday, in a statement on social media on X, formerly known as Twitter. They said one of the calls involved a woman found in the Rillito River near Camp Lowell Drive and Swan Road.
The woman was pronounced dead despite resuscitation efforts by Tucon fire and police. They said the investigation into the incident was still ongoing.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Tucson until 5:45 p.m. Saturday and said the slow-moving storm would last for some time in southern Arizona. Thunderstorms produced between 1 and 2 inches of rain, with an additional 1/2 inch expected in the area and flash flooding was in full swing, the weather service said.
The weather service said showers were expected to last until 6.30pm on Saturday and had informed commuters that water was flowing through the city’s streets and car washes.
How to stay safe during monsoon season
The Tucson Fire Department posted some general safety reminders for the monsoon season. “Remember never to enter roads with water,” they said. “Don’t drown, turn around.”
Alex Edwards, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tucson, said awareness and preparation are key to staying safe during the monsoon season.
“During heavy rains and thunderstorms, as we saw yesterday on Saturday the 22nd, streets can also be flooded with rushing water. That can be deceptively dangerous,” he said. “Really, it’s about being aware and avoiding the floods as you see them.”
Some other safety tips from the Phoenix Fire Department include:
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If you are on the water when a storm hits, go on land.
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Take the lighting into account. If you hear thunder five seconds or less after seeing lightning, you are in a strike zone.
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In a lightning strike zone, stand at least 2 meters away from tall objects, get to the lowest point on the ground, and kneel or crouch to minimize your points of contact with the ground.
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Reduce your speed when driving in a storm. Rain can cause roads to become slippery.
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Don’t skip rain-swollen washes. This can wipe out your vehicle in a flash flood.
Republican reporter Reynaldo Covarrubias Jr. contributed to this article. Annie Goodykoontz is a reporter for The Arizona Republic. You can contact her at AGoodykoontz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Woman rescued from river, dies after heavy monsoon storms in Tucson
