Needles Flooded by Heavy Showers

Heavy thundershowers Monday evening flooded streets in Needles, knocked out power for nearly four hours, forced the closing of U.S. 95 north and south of the city and damaged homes in wash areas.

A police dispatcher said the drenching downpours were accompanied by strong winds that shattered some windows in businesses and tore the roof off an apartment house. Numerous cars and an 18-wheel truck were trapped by deep water in River Road in the south part of town, she said.

Although no one was immediately known to be drowned or injured, a number of people inner-tubing on the Colorado River reportedly were forced to hike several miles back into Needles when surging water carried them downstream.