Severe Flooding Triggers Rooftop Rescues in Four Corners Region

Severe flooding across the Four Corners region on Friday prompted rooftop rescues and forced residents to evacuate low-lying areas or shelter in place, as impassable roads and rising rivers presented significant challenges. The extreme weather follows several days of flooding in Utah that swamped dozens of homes, and earlier in the week, tornadoes caused damage in Arizona.

In San Juan County, New Mexico, rescue operations involving Guard boats, helicopters, and amphibious vehicles were underway to extract people from homes surrounded by several feet of water. "We’re picking people off of roofs and pulling people out of houses that have 3 or 4 feet (1-1.5 meters) of water in them, and there’s more water coming," said San Juan County spokesman Devin Neeley.

Despite clearing skies, rivers continued to rise, surpassing forecast crests. Neeley described the situation as serious, with deputies actively assisting residents and noting that even the sheriff was at risk of losing his home. Approximately 600 households in Farmington, the largest city in the Four Corners area, were issued evacuation orders, and sections along the San Juan River were closed.

Southern Colorado experienced flooding even more severe than predicted, with the San Juan River rising a full 3 feet (1 meter) higher than a 100-year flood mark seen just a year prior. In Archuleta County, rescuers attempted to reach two individuals stranded in a motor home in a river, accompanied by three dogs.

Authorities were also assessing needs for those whose homes were not flooded but were cut off by the rising waters. "We have widespread catastrophic infrastructure damage across state infrastructure, county infrastructure, private infrastructure. The volume of water has been unprecedented," said Archuleta County Sheriff Mike Le Roux, who as of midday Friday was unaware of any fatalities or serious injuries.

In Rio Grande County, trailers at a campground were surrounded by high water, and trucks were partially submerged in other areas. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis had previously declared a disaster emergency in 11 counties in response to heavy rains and flooding in the state's southwestern region.

The city of Hurricane, Utah, was also dealing with the aftermath, having declared a state of emergency Thursday. Reddish-brown floodwaters affected about 80 homes and 50 recreational vehicles in an RV park. A shipping container was observed drifting down a street.

This prolonged period of flooding is attributed to two months of heavy rain that ended a summer drought. While parts of the Southwest are naturally prone to flash flooding due to terrain and vegetation, the recent rainfall has exacerbated the risk. Forecasters predicted additional rain through the weekend, with the ground already saturated and susceptible to further flooding. This marks the third or fourth significant rainfall event in recent weeks.