Ander Polanco Obituary, Death – Arizona is grappling with the aftermath of devastating floods that have left at least four people dead following torrential rains late in the week. Officials described the disaster as “catastrophic,” with small communities and urban centers alike suffering heavy damage.

According to Gila County emergency manager Carl Medford, three of the confirmed fatalities occurred in the town of Globe, a small community east of Phoenix. Further information about those victims has not yet been released, as search-and-rescue operations remain ongoing. Teams continue combing the area for additional people who may still be unaccounted for.

In a separate incident, authorities in Scottsdale confirmed the death of 38-year-old Ander Polanco. Police said his family reported him missing on Friday after he failed to return home during the height of the flooding. On Saturday morning, once the waters had receded, rescuers discovered his body near a vehicle that had been submerged. The Scottsdale Police Department announced his death in a statement and extended condolences to his loved ones.

The floods were triggered by intense rainfall that swept across much of the Phoenix metropolitan area on Friday. The National Weather Service reported that between one and two inches of rain fell across the city, with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport logging 1.6 inches. Officials noted this marked the highest single-day total recorded in seven years.

The severe weather brought more than just heavy rain. In Miami, a town located east of Phoenix, video footage captured large hailstones pelting the community as floodwaters surged through local streets. Some hailstones measured over an inch in diameter, the weather service confirmed. The storm’s impact was visible across multiple parts of the region, with additional footage showing self-driving vehicles stranded in rising waters at Phoenix’s airport.

In Globe, city officials declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the scale of the disaster became clearer. During a city council meeting, members described extensive damage to infrastructure, businesses, and homes. Council member Freddy Rios said the event was beyond anything the community could have envisioned. “This is something that we could never even imagine, and here we are living it,” he remarked.

The city issued a statement earlier warning that its historic downtown area was now unsafe. Officials reported that several buildings had been compromised, and debris carried by floodwaters included hazardous materials such as chemicals and propane tanks. Cleanup and recovery are expected to be difficult and dangerous.

Council member Mike Stapleton shared accounts of residents struggling to survive during the floods. He described people being forced to climb onto rooftops to escape rising water levels. In one particularly harrowing story, he said a pregnant woman swam out of a flooded restaurant to safety.

While emergency declarations have been issued and recovery efforts are underway, officials emphasized that the full extent of the destruction is not yet known. Many roads remain blocked or damaged, and infrastructure repairs are expected to take significant time and resources. Meanwhile, search teams continue looking for survivors or additional victims in flooded areas.

The tragedy has raised concerns about extreme weather events in Arizona, where heavy rainstorms can quickly overwhelm dry terrain and urban drainage systems. Flash floods, such as those that struck this week, can form suddenly and with devastating force, catching residents and drivers off guard.

For now, communities across the region are focused on rescue, recovery, and providing support to those who have lost loved ones or homes. With four lives already confirmed lost and search operations ongoing, officials warned that the death toll could rise further.