ST. GEORGE – A woman lost her arm, and several people were injured Thursday afternoon when high winds and heavy rains wreaked havoc across Lake Powell.
Shortly before 1 p.m., a microburst storm was reported at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area that overturned houseboats, National Park Service spokeswoman Mary Plumb told media outlets.
According to the National Weather Service, “A microburst is a localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm and is usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter. Microbursts can cause extensive damage at the surface, and in some instances, can be life-threatening.”
Winds from the microburst exceeded 58 mph, Plumb said, and overturned a houseboat carrying 14 people.
A 60-year-old woman who had been on the houseboat at the time had her arm amputated, though whether that happened during the incident or at a hospital later is unclear.
Another woman, 57, on the houseboat received head and hip injuries.
“There have been multiple injuries reported, two reports of overturned houseboats and dozens of swamped and sinking powerboats and jet skis,” the Coconino County, Arizona, Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook Thursday.
The storm also caused property damage to parts of the nearby city of Page, Arizona.
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