By
The Associated Press
WENDEN, Ariz. - Less than a week after flash flooding submerged cars and homes and caused millions of dollars in damage, a new storm left residents wading through muddy streets again on Saturday.
More than an inch of rain fell in the region Friday and Saturday, and water pouring into this western Arizona town from higher elevations left some streets under 4 feet of water.
Water in Centennial Wash, which was largely responsible for the flooding, rose up to 6 feet at one point, sending a torrent rushing through the same southern portion of Wenden inundated last Sunday, said emergency services spokeswoman Ruthanne Gilbert.
"It's a little different scenario this time than last time," Gilbert said. "Everyone's pretty much prepared and calm. It's nothing like it was last week because everyone had in the back of their minds this could happen again."
The entire town of about 1,200 was evacuated briefly Saturday, counting the roughly 300 who left on Friday.
At least 500 residents were still displaced by Saturday night though everyone was being allowed to return, said Sheriff's Lt. Don Davis.
Authorities also suspended a search for victims and backed off an earlier figure that they were searching for at least two people.
Davis said a man reported missing after last Sunday's flood was the only one still unaccounted for. He did confirm the missing man was not the same person as a man whose body was found by searchers late in the week. Authorities were withholding the second man's name pending notification of family.
National Guard Sgt. Jim Burke said 10 to 15 sand bag dikes in the Centennial Wash did not hold through the flood. At least one broken dike contributed to a significant amount of flooding, he said.
Most Wenden residents had returned home from the first flood only to gather personal belongings or to survey damage before leaving again.
Some where staying at a high school gym in nearby Salome while others took shelter with family and friends.
Flooding was also reported in nearby Aguila, a town of about 400. Some homes in outlying areas had as much as 3 feet of water in them.
"The water in the town has subsided but everybody is left in a big mess of mud," said Barbara Smith, a member of the Aguila Fire Department. "The houses themselves are dry now, they're just all muddy. All the water is contained in the wash."
About 110 residents were evacuated from Aguila on Friday to an elementary school in Wickenburg, fire officials said. About 10 people were still there Saturday.
Portions of U.S. 60 between Wickenburg and Wenden were also closed.
"It's worse than what it was the other day. We didn't have water like this running through the streets," said Wenden resident Arny Vannier, who spent three days cleaning up his home after the first flood. "I'm not going to clean it any more. That last time was the hardest thing I've ever done."
Gary Brooks, the owner of Brooks Outback Restaurant and Saloon, was able to keep his restaurant open Saturday. Last week, the water had come up against his building.
The flooding in Wenden, 90 miles west of Phoenix, began Oct. 22 when rain sent a wall of water traveling down the normally dry Centennial Wash. A wash is a dry river bed that can flow with water during storms.
Preliminary estimates from that flood put the damage at $7.8 million, including $3.8 million to homes, buildings and vehicles and $2 million to roads, bridges and other infrastructure. About 200 buildings, including homes, businesses and outbuildings, were damaged or destroyed.
President Clinton issued a disaster declaration Friday, freeing up emergency funds for the flood-stricken areas.
