Enoch under state of emergency as 10 percent of population deals with flooding aftermath

ENOCH, Utah — Sunday afternoon brought intense downpours to Enoch, flooding about 200 homes, according to city spokesperson Becki Bronson.

The city has issued a state of emergency, joining Cedar City and Iron County. The declarations have gone to the state and are awaiting a response before FEMA may become involved, Bronson said.

It was devastating to watch as the rain quickly became violent, breaking windows and flooding basements, Taija Barkdull said. She lives on Tumbleweed Drive and her home, along with dozens of others flooded during Sunday’s storm.

“We have been working really hard to achieve our dreams and it is just really hard watching everything you worked so hard for just be gone in a blink of an eye. The water just came in so fast I couldn’t save anything,” she said.

Enoch City

Her two eldest daughters live in the basement. The only things they have left is what they were wearing, Barkdull said.

“They lost their bed, they lost every article of clothing that they owned, I had just done a fresh load of laundry for my three-month-old daughter, all of her clothes are in the dryer that is now underwater. We are going to have to replace the furnace. I lost a brand-new washer and dryer,” she said.

As the storm became stronger, John Brown watched in horror. He lives on Half Mile Road and watched as the water made its way into his basement.

“Before you know it, the whole street was full of water and then the water came into the backyard, we had three feet of water and then we never thought we would get it in our basement but it just came up and then it filled the water or the window wells and then we ended up with five feet of water in our basement,” he said.

Friends, family, neighbors and even strangers have stepped up to help. It was amazing to see, Barkdull said.

“I have got neighbors who I have never even met are here pumping out my house, I have lady that I have never even seen since I have lived here, she brought me clothes for my kids that lost everything,” she said.

As you walked down the streets, people were going from house to house, helping each other.

“All of the houses on our street are flooded, the next few streets over have basements flooded, sewage in the basements, the streets over here. It is a disaster zone for everyone, we are so thankful for everyone who has come to help, and once we are done with our house we are just going to keep moving to the next house,” Brown said.

A Red Cross emergency center has been set up in Enoch at 451 East Midvalley Road. It will be open from 8a to 8p. People can pick up cleaning supplies, food, water and more. There is also a need for donations.

CLICK HERE to help the flood victim relief project.