Arizona flood recovery: Cornville neighbors rebuild after record rain

Arizona in the middle of a beautiful stretch of weather there but much of the state is still cleaning up after last week's record rains including the town of Cornville. Jacob Luthi joins us live with more tonight. Jacob. Valleys say they've prepared for flooding before but they say last week's floods were unlike anything they'd experienced as water rose and in the days that followed it took a community-wide effort from first responders to neighbors helping neighbors to get through the flooding and begin the recovery. My neighbor said he saw the refrigerator going downstream with my steaks in it. It's a little bit of humor in the middle of a whole lot of heartbreak. Never in a million years, and we've expect water. We planned for flooding, but nothing like this. A week after destructive flooding swept through parts of the Verde Valley, including Cornville, residents are still working to pick up the pieces. By the time that the flood got to the highest point, it was six and a half feet tall underneath the house. So I would be completely underwater. Ryan Hartman says the situation quickly went from bad to worse last Sunday. He went door to door helping neighbors evacuate as floodwaters rose. Now he and his neighbors are facing the next challenge, cleaning up and rebuilding. It took out the sewer and it took out our water. It's rebuilding, it's repairing the homes, it's trying to get, you know, some sort of help any way we can. As neighbors rallied to help neighbors, volunteers with the Yavapai County Jeep Posse also stepped in. We were shocked. The house was a two-story house. And the entire bottom floor was surrounded by water, 360 degrees. Mark Langfelder says his crews helped sheriff's deputies with rescue operations, including using drones to locate people trapped inside their homes. Got her all hooked in, brought her up to the helicopter, and she was brought to us basically safe. In the days since, residents say the community has come together, helping one another, finding ways to stay positive after the storm. Just fantastic neighbors. I mean, the community is all pitched in. They've made lunches for us. Everybody we've had people I don't even know show up with shovels and it puts you a lot of faith in human mankind. Now Yavapai County Emergency Management says federal disaster aid is not guaranteed even with significant damage. Officials are urging residents to report all flood damage so it can be verified and help determine whether the area qualifies for assistance. Jacob Luthi, Fox 10 News.