MOAB, Utah, Aug. 21, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Moab and its residents are cleaning up after flooding Saturday night and bracing for possible thunderstorms today.
The chance of storms is only 20%, according to the National Weather Service, but any threat is serious to a city that has suffered so much destruction.
The city is offering sand and sandbags at the Moab City Public Works Yard “for those who need them,” a 10:20 a.m. Sunday Facebook post says. “The materials will be in the southwest section of the yard located at 470 Kane Creek Blvd.”
An earlier Sunday Facebook post said the city is offering free showers at the Aquatic Center, 374 N. Park Blvd., “for those still without water. … Crews are working to restore water service and updates will be posted as new updates are available.” The Moab City Facebook page can be found here.
The page also warned residents Sunday that “all Moab trails, including street entrances & bridges, are closed. These areas are extremely dangerous right now. Crews are working to assess the damage from last night’s flooding. Please stay off the trails, entrance streets and bridges until further notice.”
Saturday night, Moab city officials invited those impacted by flooding and in search of a safe place to stay to come to Spanish Trail Arena. “Please stay safe,” the notice says.
And the city shared a video just before 10 p.m. Saturday of rushing water near Anonymous Park, with water raging below as people watched from a bridge a few feet above.
“Please avoid areas near creeks; watch for possible flooding if you live in the area,” the 9:55 p.m. Saturday statement says. “This video shows Mill Creek at the bridge a Main Street several minutes ago. Please Take Extreme Caution.”
From Moab, and it’s sad, but it is what happens when a town is built in the natural flood plain of a river.