Flooding across the Four Corners region has led to evacuations, rescues, road closures and emergency declarations in parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona, with additional thunderstorms possible through Sunday, OPB reports.
In San Juan County, New Mexico, floodwaters inundated low-lying homes and forced sewage into the San Juan River. Emergency responders rescued people from rooftops, and the county told residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate. Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said no deaths had been reported there as of Friday, while warning residents not to underestimate the danger.
The Navajo Nation police department reported rescuing seven families, or 30 people, from flooded homes. The Hopi Tribe declared a state of emergency after heavy rain damaged roads, bridges, homes and other infrastructure. In Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis declared disaster emergencies in 11 counties and authorized National Guard assistance for rescue efforts. Hurricane, Utah, declared an emergency after flooding damaged more than 100 homes and recreational vehicles, according to the report.
The National Weather Service said rainfall totals reached two to four inches in parts of southwest Colorado and southeast Utah and up to six inches in higher elevations of the San Juan Mountains. The rain caused creeks, streams and rivers to rise rapidly, and thunderstorm watches remained active in affected areas through Sunday.
The region’s terrain and infrastructure can amplify flood impacts. During a separate August flood in Grand Canyon National Park, NPR reported that runoff damaged the park’s main South Rim drinking-water pipeline, forcing hotels to stop accepting new bookings and visitors to conserve water. That earlier incident illustrates how flooding can disrupt essential services as well as homes and roads, but it was a separate event from the current Four Corners flooding.
San Juan County emergency officials said residents should remain alert through the weekend as the threat of additional damage and safety hazards continues.