Cedar City Residents Cleaning Up After More Flash Flooding

CEDAR CITY, Utah — Residents in Cedar City were hit with another round of active thunderstorms, which caused major flooding and power outages.

Nearly two inches of rain fell in as many hours Monday afternoon.

The storm hit fast and hard.

Mayor Maile Wilson-Edwards declared a State of Emergency Monday night due to the flooding.

“We have been out assessing the damage throughout the City & it’s extensive to private & public property. City crews will continue through the night assessing damage and assisting our residents,” read her tweet.

I am declaring a State of Emergency here in Cedar City based on the flooding today. We have been out assessing the damage throughout the City & it’s extensive to private & public property. City crews will continue through the night assessing damage and assisting our residents.

— Mayor Maile Wilson-Edwards (@WilsonMaile) July 26, 2021

Needles to say, cleaning up basements, streets and homes will be quite a process.

“I was at work, working away, when I got a call from my wife that the basement was flooding,” said Benjamin Covington. “The window had broken.”

The other problem was the freeway had a lot of flooding.

It took Covington a while to get home.

“It was a little difficult to get back here,” he said. 

When he arrived, a small army of neighbors was already at his house, cleaning up the soaking wet mess.

Why was Chip Sanders there?

“It’s funny, this same neighbor brought us dinner a couple of nights ago cause our basement flooded and they wanted to help out,” said Sanders.

That’s just how this neighborhood is.

“I have seen people that I don’t even know and it’s been unbelievable,” said Sanders.

“They’ve already dug trenches to pull the rainwater away, so we’re very grateful,” said Covington.

When the weather looks ominous, they have patrols set up. 

“Every time it rains, we’ve got a kid at a different station, just watching, making sure our homemade dams don’t break,” said Sanders.

Throughout the town, parking lots flooded, people braved the conditions to get their groceries loaded and apartments filled with water.

Sanders said everyone is glad to have the rain, but wish it didn’t have to come all at once. 

“It just keeps coming. We’re grateful for it. If it was spread out a little bit more, that would be great, but we’ll take it,” he said.

They’re also grateful for their community. 

“The neighborhood around here is wonderful. It’s the best I’ve ever lived in,” said Covington.

“We’ve got a great neighborhood,” said Sanders. “Love living here. Amazing people.”

The Mayor set up a Red Cross Shelter at the YSA Stake Center at 61 North and 900 West.

She said more sandbags can be found at the County Road Department, located at 1105 North Bulldog Road.

#CedarCity Flash Flood: A shelter is now open at the YSA Stake Center, 61 N 900 W, Cedar City, UT. Please check in with a #RedCross volunteer when you arrive. Remember: Turn around, don’t drown! Stay off the roads. If you must drive & encounter a flooded roadway, go another way. pic.twitter.com/dvT7Tnkdrk

— American Red Cross of Utah (@RedCrossUtah) July 27, 2021