Utah first responders, civilians rescue man caught in flash flooding just in time

GREEN RIVER, Utah – Multiple agencies raced against the timepiece connected Saturday successful cardinal Utah erstwhile a antheral was stranded by flash floods and faced the hazard of being swept distant immoderate second.

The Emery County Sheriff’s Office responded connected Saturday astir 4 p.m. connected Airport Road on the southbound broadside of Green River, Utah, wherever the idiosyncratic was trapped successful the fast-moving water.

After the Green River Fire Department arrived and the Public Works arrived connected country with a beforehand loader, teams utilized a kayak to scope the man.

A civilian, Kent Nelson, and Emery County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Opp, were capable to springiness the antheral a beingness vest and rope. Once helium was secured, helium was pulled to safety.

First responders and civilians enactment to rescue a antheral stranded successful rushing h2o successful Green River, Utah, connected Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. 

(Emery County Sheriff's Office)

Video by the Emery County Sheriff’s Office shows the high-stakes effort to rescue the antheral and the infinitesimal helium was brought to information crossed rushing water.

"The actions provided by the citizens were priceless. They enactment themselves successful information to rescue a cleanable stranger," the sheriff’s bureau said. "The unfortunate is not from our country and nary 1 knew him, but that did not substance to immoderate of them. They were each acold and wet, moving unneurotic to rescue to a precise frightened idiosyncratic that could person been swept distant astatine immoderate second."

The National Weather Service successful Salt Lake City issued a Flash Flood Warning for Emery County connected Saturday afternoon, not agelong earlier the rescue occurred.
 

First responders and civilians enactment to rescue a antheral stranded successful rushing h2o successful Green River, Utah, connected Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. 

(Emery County Sheriff's Office)

Rain totals were betwixt 2.5 and 4 inches for parts of the Seleratus Wash, according to the NWS.

After a little reprieve from the rainfall this week, showers and thunderstorms instrumentality to Utah connected Friday and are forecast to proceed done astatine slightest Saturday.