EMERY COUNTY, Utah — Emery County officials are asking for donations as crews begin to work on repairing the Gentry Mountain Mine, which was severely damaged due to floods.
At around 10:15 on Sunday, a wall of water and debris came down the canyon and swept over multiple crews. 48-year-old Gary Nelsonwas swept away by the floodwaters and his body was found six miles downstream on Monday.
One other man was swept away in the flood but was able to hang on to a tree and was taken to the hospital where he is expected to recover.
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The Sheriff's office said in a Facebook post, "The amount of damage sustained is hard to explain unless you have seen it firsthand."
Crews are already working to clean up the area, which is expected to take several weeks. Repairs can't be completed until the site is cleaned up, which leaves 125 employees out of work until the mine is operating again.
The Sheriff's office is accepting food, snacks and drink donations to be delivered to crews at the mine. Officials ask that donations be commercially prepared and packaged items only.
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Gatorade, soda, granola bars, trail mix, cookies, candy, Pop Tarts, energy bars, jerky, sandwich supplies, chips and any other grab and go food and snacks would all be appreciated and distributed to crews working at the site.
Donations can be dropped off at the Emery County Sheriff's Office anytime or at the Carbon County Intake Building located at 164 N 200 W in Price on Thursday and Friday morning from 9 a.m. to noon.
Officials ask that donations not be taken directly to the mine.
"We know our communities are full of people who step up in times of disaster," The Sheriff's Office wrote in a Facebook post. "We still remember and appreciate all of the donations during other disasters and wildland fires in our area."
