Storm also triggered a flash flood warning in three Southern California counties
Destination Trail, the host of Utah’s Moab 240 ultramarathon, said Sunday that all about 70 runners stranded on the race course by flooding from Tropical Storm Rachel’s remnants had been evacuated safely.
“We have great news – all runners are accounted for and either back at race [headquarters] or in a vehicle on the way back,” Destination Trail said in a social media statement. “We’re glad to report everyone made it out safely despite the wild weather.”
The race organizer had announced the cancellation earlier the same day, citing rapidly deteriorating conditions on the 240-mile route around Moab.
“After a lot of careful discussion, we’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to call the Moab 240 off,” Destination Trail said in a separate post. “The weather has become too dangerous to safely continue – we’ve received reports of aid station structures blowing away, trees falling down, wind, rain, freezing temps – and we’re expecting conditions to get worse tonight.”
The local sheriff’s office coordinated relief efforts with race organizers to assist participants affected by the weather, deploying shuttles and personnel to pick up runners from the route, according to the Guardian.
The remnants of Rachel also reached northern Mexico and Southern California, where the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning covering parts of San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties, forecasting heavy winds and rain.
By Monday, the storm’s remnants were still moving across Utah, where a flood watch remained in effect through the afternoon across most of the state, according to Salt Lake news outlet KUTV.