MECCA – (INT) – Riverside County authorities believe that a missing motorist was a victim of an intense storm that struck the lower Coachella Valley September 30th.

A vehicle and numerous items belonging to Ankit Goyal have been found, but there has been no sign of the El Centro man.

Goyal disappeared after a camping trip to the Joshua Tree National Park and was returning home September 30th on Box Canyon Road. A major storm struck the area south of Interstate 10 triggering some flash flooding.

An air and ground search and rescue effort with over two hundred searchers was conducted over four days, but was suspended October 6th.

Story Date: October 16, 2018