Four Corners remains under flood watch as more heavy rain threatens
Much of the Four Corners faced another flood threat Sunday after days of rain brought rescues, evacuations and outages.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
2 min read
A Four Corners flood watch remained in effect Sunday as another round of potentially heavy showers and thunderstorms threatened a Southwest region already hit by days of damaging rain.
CBS News and the Associated Press reported that the National Weather Service issued the watch for much of the Four Corners, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. The earlier storms had prompted evacuations and water rescues, while local officials expected some swollen rivers to keep falling.
What areas could flood in the Four Corners?
Repeated downpours could quickly flood roads, small streams, narrow canyons and areas scarred by wildfires, CBS News meteorologist Andrew Kozak said. That leaves a fresh threat even where floodwater had begun to recede.
In southwest Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation said the San Juan River's flow rose significantly overnight. The San Juan River Bridge remained closed Sunday, CBS reported.
Video shared with CBS Colorado showed floodwater surrounding a Pagosa Springs home, with only part of its roof and chimney visible.
Cleanup continues in San Juan County
In neighboring San Juan County, New Mexico, Sheriff Shane Ferrari said about 4 feet of water had flooded his home. He described conditions as stable Sunday, though residents were cleaning up and dealing with damage, according to CBS and AP reporting.
County spokesperson Devin Neeley said officials did not yet have formal figures for damaged homes or evacuations. He said he was not aware of any deaths.
Receding water left behind mud and silt, some of it contaminated with sewage after wastewater-plant failures, Neeley said. Power outages continued in several areas, and he said restoration could take several days.
The latest flooding followed two months of intermittent heavy rain tied to tropical moisture arriving from the Pacific, CBS and AP reported. The wet stretch came after months of drought in the region.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.