Arizona tourist town of Sedona hit by flooding

Residents and tourists in northern Arizona tried to return to business as usual after evacuation orders triggered by rain and flooding were lifted Thursday morning. The impact of substantial rainfall all day Wednesday combined with snow melt at higher elevations could be seen on access roads, some streets and at least one major highway in the Verde Valley region.

The City of Sedona said in a statement around 6 p.m. Wednesday that a dozen areas including the Rancho Sedona RV Park and the Center for the New Age should evacuate immediately. A shelter for the area was set up at the gym of Camp Verde Middle School as a precaution. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff said only minor to moderate flooding was expected Thursday along Oak Creek, Wet Beaver Creek, the Verde River and the Little Colorado River.

Still, the water rose very quickly. Oak Creek near Sedona rose almost 7 feet in 12 hours starting Wednesday morning. Residents and visitors are advised to follow the forecast as another storm system is expected in the region early next week and will last through Wednesday.