PAGE, Ariz. — Thirteen vessels, including a houseboat, were swamped, capsized or badly damaged in a quick moving, intense storm on Lake Powell over the weekend.

The National Park Service dispatch at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area issued a warning to all boaters on the lake about 4:15 p.m. Saturday to take cover, said park spokesman Brian Sweatland.

"You could see (the storm) coming, but it came very quickly and hit us," he said. No warnings were received from the National Weather Service.

The wind gusted up to 54 mph, and waves reached 6 feet to 7 feet high at Wahweap and Padre bays, Sweatland said. By 4:40 p.m., the storm had passed, but the Park Service received distress calls from 16 groups.

Three Park Service boats were used to take 19 visitors off the lake. All were wearing life jackets when they were picked up. Most were able to get to shore and were found standing in shallow water, but they were unable to go anywhere else because their boats were swamped, Sweatland said.

There were no injuries, and none of the boats sank, Sweatland said. Most of the boats drifted into shallow water near the shore. By Tuesday, all the vessels had been recovered from the water.

— Pat Reavy

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