George Frey via Getty Images
Footage emerging from Hildale, Utah, captures the destruction of flash floods that killed at least 16 people Monday.
The flooding came as a result of heavy rains that hit Hildale, as well as Colorado City, Arizona, at around 5 p.m. The rain hitting nearby canyons triggered “a large wall of water and debris” that swept through the street, engulfed two vehicles, and carried them into a ravine, officials told Reuters. At least 12 people were killed in that incident. Three passengers who were in those cars, all children, survived, and one adult is still missing.
Virginia Black was in her home and caught the water sweeping the vehicles away on camera.
"It was terrifying," she told The Associated Press. "They were getting washed away, and there was nothing I could do about it."
At Zion National Park, four people who were exploring canyons at the time of the rains died. Three people who were at the park are still missing.
Lydia Wilder was in her SUV when the rains hit and filmed the water surging through the streets, not knowing how serious the situation would become.
"It happened within like a half hour, 45 minutes," her husband, Chris Wyler, told CNN. "(Then) it was just gone. And then the sun was shining again."
Aerial drone footage from Monday evening shows rescue crews working among the wreckage.
Hildale is best known as the seat of a polygamous sect, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that split from the Mormon Church in the early 20th century.
Contact the author of this article at Hilary.Hanson@huffingtonpost.com
Also on HuffPost:
Utah-Arizona Flash Floods
(01 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: Local residents walk along the edge of Short Creek where two vans were swept away the day before on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(02 of23)
SPRINGDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: Cars enter Zion's National Park on September 15, 2015 in Springdale, Utah. Four hikers died and three are missing after a flash flood yesterday that also killed several woman and children in two vans that were swept away by the flood waters. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(03 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: A car sits along the side of Short Creek along with other debris after being removed from the creek on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(04 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: The twisted wreckage of two vans that were washed away in a flash flood with women and children inside rest on the bank of Short Creek on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(05 of23)
SPRINGDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: Water flows down rock faces after a rain storm in Zion's National Park on September 15, 2015 in Springdale, Utah. Four hikers died and three are missing after a flash flood yesterday that also killed several woman and children in two vans that were swept away by the flood waters. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(06 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: The twisted wreckage of one of two vans that were washed away in a flash flood with women and children inside rest on the bank of Short Creek on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two vans in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 12 people with one still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(07 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: The twisted wreckage of one of two vans that were washed away in a flash flood with women and children inside rest on the bank of Short Creek on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two vans in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 12 people with one still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(08 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: The twisted wreckage of one of two vans that were washed away in a flash flood with women and children inside rest on the bank of Short Creek on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two vans in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 12 people with one still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(09 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: A car sits on the side of the road after being pulled from Short Creek as woman and rescuers watch large construction equipment remove flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(10 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: The twisted wreckage of two vans that were washed away in a flash flood with women and children inside rest on the bank of Short Creek on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two vans in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 12 people with one still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(11 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: A search and rescue member searrches a buried vehicle in Short Creek where two vans were swept away the day before on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. Flash floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(12 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: On lookers watch as construction equipment removes flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(13 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: A car sits on the side of the road after being pulled from Short Creek by construction equipment that is removing flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(14 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: With a searcher in the background, local residents walk along the edge of Short Creek where two vans were swept away the day before on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. Flash floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(15 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: Rescuers shovel mud and flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(16 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: The twisted wreckage of one of two vans that were washed away in a flash flood with women and children inside rest on the bank of Short Creek on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two vans in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 12 people with one still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(17 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: On lookers watch as construction equipment removes flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(18 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: Rescuers search along the banks of Short Creek looking for victims on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(19 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: Two rescuers watch as large construction equipment is used to remove flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(20 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: A gate closes the road as it crosses Short Creek on Hildale Street on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(21 of23)
HILDALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 15: Several woman watch as large construction equipment is used to remove flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Hildale, Utah. Flash Floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(22 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: Lisa Cobb, (L) and Adrian Zitzmann, (R) from the Mohave County Sheriffs Search and Rescue search heavy brush along Short Creek for missing bodies on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. Flash floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
(23 of23)
COLORADO CITY, AZ - SEPTEMBER 15: A woman sits on an embankment watching construction equipment remove flood debris from Short Creek as it crosses Central Street on September 15, 2015 in Colorado City, Arizona. Flash floods from heavy rains on the afternoon of September 14, 2015 washed away two cars in Hildale as they were crossing a flooded creek, killing 8 people with five still missing. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) (credit:George Frey via Getty Images)
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