PHOENIX (AZCentral) -- Heavy wet storms blew through parts of metro Phoenix on Tuesday morning, closing Interstate 17 in a river of mud and trapping motorists, as authorities responded to multiple water rescue scenes involving stuck drivers elsewhere.
Meteorologists say the heaviest of the storms has passed but that rain is expected to fall into the early afternoon, and residents of Black Canyon City, north of Phoenix, were advised to prepare for evacuations from rising waters. A mandatory evacuation order was issued for the River's Edge Trailer Park by 11 a.m. and a shelter at Canyon Elementary School was expected to open by noon.
Rock slides were also reported in the area, according to Yavapai County officials.
The rains, flooding and debris forced authorities to close or restrict traffic on nearly two dozen roadways in Maricopa County on Tuesday morning.