China
14:56, 18-Jul-2017
Flash flood sweeps away family birthday party
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A birthday celebration party turned tragic Saturday when a flash flood swept a family away in Tonto National Forest in Arizona, the United States.
The family had not been warned and had no chance to escape. The waters swept away 14 members of the family, fast and far downstream. Nine were killed, including six children ages 2 to 13, police said.
Heavy rain was falling several miles upstream from them. By the time it reached the rocky swimming hole it had become a roaring torrent six feet high and 40 feet wide.
The bodies were found up to two miles away. Five other people were rescued, some of them clinging desperately to trees, and were treated for hypothermia and released.
Rescuers searched Monday for a 27-year-old man still missing about 100 miles northeast of Phoenix, authorities identified the victims, who ranged in age from 2 to 60.
Among them were three generations of a family. Five of the dead were children.
(Source : AP)