SEDONA SLAMMED by FLASH FLOOD — Residents Trapped, I 17 CLOSED, Towns Ordered to Flee

Oak Creek turned from a gentle stream into a record flash flood in Sedona, Arizona, on Sunday. Firefighters called in extra crews for water rescues, people were trapped in their homes, and the city moved creekside neighborhoods from "Set" to "Go" in just 30 minutes. Near Cornville, the creek reached 19.84 feet and about 27,200 cubic feet per second, higher than any reading there since records began in 1938 (provisional USGS data). "Go" evacuation orders are in place in Sedona, Camp Verde, Tonto Basin and on the White Mountain Apache Reservation, and Interstate 17 is closed in two places. Figures as of Sunday, November 1, 2026, about 3 p.m. ET. CHAPTERS 00:00 Record flash flood tears through Sedona 00:51 Up to 2.25 inches of rain overnight 01:33 From "Set" to "Go" in 30 minutes 01:52 Creekside neighborhoods ordered out 02:19 People trapped in their homes 02:38 Extra crews called in for water rescues 03:11 Oak Creek flow jumps 60 times 03:41 Six swimming pools every second 04:06 Cornville: creek beats the forecast by 8 feet 04:29 Oak Creek breaks the 1993 record 05:06 Camp Verde: "evacuate immediately" 05:49 "Go" orders in Tonto Basin and Whiteriver 06:24 I-17 cut in two places 07:09 Dozens rescued in the Phoenix area 07:47 Why it happened 08:31 A burn scar above the creek 08:49 65 campers trapped on Oct. 13 09:16 Colorado river could beat its 1911 record 09:46 Turn around, don't drown 10:24 Biggest flood on record: February 1993 10:52 Rivers stay high into the week 11:19 As of Sunday afternoon, Nov. 1 SOURCES U.S. Geological Survey, provisional gauge data for Oak Creek near Sedona (09504420), Oak Creek near Cornville (09504500) and the Verde River near Camp Verde (09506000), Nov. 1, 2026; USGS peak streamflow records National Weather Service Flagstaff, flash flood and flood warnings, Nov. 1, 2026 Sedona Red Rock News, "Sedona urges evacuation of areas along Oak Creek," Nov. 1, 2026 KNAU Arizona Public Radio, Nov. 1, 2026 AZFamily: Sedona rescues (Nov. 1, 8:20 a.m. MST), evacuations across Arizona (Nov. 1, 12:23 p.m. MST), road closures (Nov. 1, 11:23 a.m. MST), Phoenix-area rescues (Oct. 31) Associated Press, Nov. 1, 2026 ABC15 Arizona, Nov. 1, 2026 Weatherboy, Nov. 1, 2026 Colorado Sun, Nov. 1, 2026 KTAR News, Oct. 13, 2026; AZFamily, July 20, 2026 Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau FOOTAGE CREDITS Oak Creek at Sedona, Nov. 1, 2026: fishin360 (YouTube) Archive footage of past Oak Creek and Verde River floods: USGS (public domain); Erin Estes; Amy Asbill; Jon Manjeot; Doug Von Gausig (CC BY); NightFyre; Daniel Bellei; Johnny Williams; K P (YouTube) Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon on a normal day (archive): Scottsdale Ambience; Camera Tours; Living in Arizona Now (YouTube) Scottsdale, Oct. 30, 2026: Benjamin Kastelic (YouTube) Satellite: NOAA/NASA GOES-West via NASA Worldview (public domain) Maps and graphics: American Weather System (map data: Natural Earth) American Weather System is an independent channel and not an official weather service. For official warnings, follow the National Weather Service and your local authorities. In an emergency, call 911. #Sedona #FlashFlood #Arizona #OakCreek #Flooding