Flash flooding hits Twentynine Palms, leading to road closures, water rescues

A fast-moving thunderstorm that moved through the California desert Sunday afternoon caused significant flash flooding in Twentynine Palms, leading to road closures, damage and reported swiftwater rescues.

Videos and photos uploaded to social media provided a picture of the extent of the flooding in the city, with one particularly dramatic clip showing a torrent of water rushing out of a doorway of a home.

Another video posted by the city’s newspaper, The Desert Trail, showed floodwater rushing down a roadway in an area where the paper reported rescuers were working to help stranded motorists.

Doppler radar estimates showed as much as 2.50 to 3.00 inches fell on the area in a short time, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning.

Resident Maylyn Abordaje shared several photos with The Desert Sun that also showed floodwaters on roadways.

The City of Twentynine Palms reported on social media that several roadways in the city were flooded and recommended that residents avoid driving. The post noted that crews are still working to determine the extent of the flooding.

This is a developing story.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Flash flooding hits Twentynine Palms, leading to road closures, water rescues