The Palm Springs Fire Department rescued three stranded drivers trapped in swift-moving flood waters that overtook North Indian Canyon Drive on Tuesday afternoon.
All three drivers and a dog were successfully rescued by first responders who arrived on scene at the Whitewater Wash, south of Interstate 10, according to KESQ.
Fire units received reports of multiple occupied vehicles stuck in fast-moving water, the Palm Springs Fire Department posted on Twitter. North Indian Canyon Drive was shut down in both directions for much of the day due to flood-like conditions. Drivers were advised to avoid the area until the road reopened. The department said in a subsequent update that all three drivers and the dog were rescued safely and escaped injury.
North Indian Canyon Drive was shut down in both directions, KESQ reported. Weather-related closures of the road are not unusual; at least 11 similar incidents occurred earlier this year. Gene Autry Trail also was closed between Via Escuela and I-10.
The Palm Springs Police Department closed North Indian Canyon Drive through the Whitewater Wash Tuesday morning, prior to the report of stranded motorists, according to the agency's Twitter page. Wind-blown sand caused impaired visibility. The road reopened for a brief time but was closed again two hours later due to flooding.