1964 — July 30 pm, flash flood, bridge destroyed, car goes into Nazlini Wash ~Chinle, AZ–7

— 7 Assoc. Press. “Body of Missing Victim Is Found.” Albuquerque Tribune, NM. 8-6-1964, D5.
— 6 Assoc. Press. “Flash Flood Kills Six in Arizona.” Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. 8-1-1964, p. 1.
–>6 UPI. “At Least Six Killed by Flash Flood.” Montana Standard, Butte. 8-2-1964, p. 6.
–>6 UPI. “Six Die As Rains Cause Bad Floods.” Twin Falls Times-News, ID. 8-3-1964, p. 6.

Narrative Information

Aug 1: “Chinle, Ariz. – (AP) – A Bureau of Indian Affairs official said last night that six bodies have been recovered following a flash flood near this tiny northeastern Arizona community. Paul Krause, sub-agency superintendent, said two other persons may be missing following the flood Thursday night [July 30] which swept down normally dry Nazlini Wash. Krause said four of those known dead are from one family. They were identified by him as Delphine Bitsui, 15, Lydia Bitsui, 14, Jerry Bitsui, 12, and Zelma Bitsui, 16 or 17. He said the children’s father, Peter, is missing. Krause said the body of William Bizardi, 21, also has been found. All lived in Chinle, a community of some 700 persons. The body of a man who had not been positively identified, also had been found. Krause said there were reports that another girl also was missing.” (Associated Press. “Flash Flood Kills Six in Arizona.” Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. 8-1-1964, p. 1.)

Aug 2: “Chinle, Ariz. (UPI) – A flash flood washed out a bridge over a dry creek bed one mile west of this Navajo Indian Reservation village Thursday night [July 30] and Navajo authorities said the bodies of fiver persons had been recovered by Saturday. Navajo patrolman Ernest Tsosie said at least one other body was known to be in the flooding creek bed. The village has been virtually isolated since torrential rains hit this northeastern Arizona region in the Four Corners area of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona Thursday night.” (UPI. “At Least Six Killed by Flash Flood.” Montana Standard, Butte. 8-2-1964, p. 6.)

Aug 3: “Phoenix, Ariz. Aug 3 (UPI) – At least six persons died…as week-end rains caused a series of crises in parts of Arizona….Navajo Indian police and volunteers in Chinle, Ariz., near the Canyon de Chelly national monument – near the Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona borders – found the bodies of six persons whose car plunged into a swollen river from a smashed bridge. Another one or two persons also may have perished when waters ripped out parts of the bridge. The victims were identified as Navajo Indians.

“Heavy rains caused swollen rivers and streams in many areas, forcing closure of several state routes and roads in Maricopa county and elsewhere, authorities reported.” (United Press International. “Six Die As Rains Cause Bad Floods.” Twin Falls Times-News, ID. 8-3-1964, p. 6.)

Aug 6: “Chinle, Ariz., Aug. 6 (AP) – The body of Peter Bitsui has been found, ending the search for flood victims in Nazlini Wash. Bitsui, his four children and two other Navajos, were in a car that drove off a bridge into the flood-swollen wash after a 20-foor wall of water tore away the middle sections of the bridge during last Thursday night’s flash flood. The bodies of he other six were found in the wash. Bitsui’s body was located yesterday 150 yards from the bank about two miles from the bridge.” (Associated Press. “Body of Missing Victim Is Found.” Albuquerque Tribune, NM. 8-6-1964, p. D5.)

Source

Associated Press. “Body of Missing Victim Is Found.” Albuquerque Tribune, NM. 8-6-1964, p. D5. Accessed 7-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albuquerque-tribune-aug-06-1964-p-35/

Associated Press. “Flash Flood Kills Six in Arizona.” Tucson Daily Citizen, AZ. 8-1-1964, p. 1. Accessed 7-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/tucson-daily-citizen-aug-01-1964-p-1/

United Press International. “At Least Six Killed by Flash Flood.” Montana Standard, Butte. 8-2-1964, p. 6. Accessed 7-14-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/montana-standard-aug-02-1964-p-6/

United Press International. “Six Die As Rains Cause Bad Floods.” Twin Falls Times-News, ID. 8-3-1964, p. 6. Accessed 7-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/twin-falls-times-news-aug-03-1964-p-6/