Monsoon rain hits south-central Arizona; 2 deaths reported

PHOENIX (AP) — Monsoon rain drenched south-central Arizona, closing parts of a Phoenix freeway and causing flooding in the rural community of Gila Bend, where authorities said two people have died. Gila Bend’s mayor on Saturday declared a state of emergency for the town of 2,000 because of flooding and said a temporary shelter was set up in a school gymnasium. Mayor Chris Riggs says in a Facebook video that a man and a woman died in the flooding. One media outlet reported that one victim was swept down a flood wash and that the second person was in a vehicle swept away.