MESA COUNTY, Colo. — Multiple people were rescued Sunday near Grand Junction after a flash flood turned a dry creek bed into an impassable river, according to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.
Around 9 p.m. on Sunday, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office and Mesa County Search and Rescue responded to a call of two hikers trapped by flash flooding in Rough Canyon, which is south of Grand Junction.
When deputies arrived, they learned that other people were also trapped by the rising water and could not access the parking lot.
At the time, storms turned a dry creek bed into a river about 15 feet wide and three to five feet deep, the sheriff's office said.
After six hours, the water had receded enough that rescuers were able to reach everybody who was trapped. This included four families who had been either hiking or on the UTV trail.
The sheriff's office said popular recreation areas are susceptible to these kinds of flash floods and for community members to be aware of weather conditions and the potential for flooding before heading out the door.
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Flash flooding is possible in western Colorado in the afternoons through at least next week, the sheriff's office said. Hikers should avoid dry creek beds, narrow canyons, and burn scars.