Floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Trudy have swamped communities across the Four Corners states — New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona — with rescuers lifting families off rooftops and rivers still rising on Saturday. The worst of it is in northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado, where the San Juan River has hit record levels.
About 600 households have been ordered to evacuate in Farmington, New Mexico, along the San Juan and Animas rivers. Dozens of rooftop and water rescues have been carried out, including by New Mexico National Guard boats, helicopters and amphibious vehicles, and shelters have opened at McGee Park. No deaths have been reported so far.
The San Juan River at Farmington has broken a record dating back to 1909, according to reports from the scene, and the river is still rising downstream toward Shiprock and the Navajo Nation, where it ran at an estimated 23 feet overnight. Bloomfield's wastewater plant has been hit, and the National Weather Service warns the threat of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding will persist into the weekend across central and eastern New Mexico.
In Colorado, Governor Jared Polis declared a verbal disaster emergency for 11 counties and later amended it to add Conejos County, making 12, authorizing the Colorado National Guard for rescues and evacuations. The San Juan River at Pagosa Springs crested above 15 feet — by some accounts its highest since at least 1911 — stretches of US 550 and US 160 are closed, and more than 100 people have been evacuated or stranded in places.
"Thank you to the brave first responders and emergency managers who are working around the clock to get Coloradans to safety," Polis said. "I urge Coloradans in Southwest Colorado to follow emergency orders and ensure you prioritize your and your family's safety."
The flooding is still unfolding. With rivers still rising downstream and more rain possible into the weekend, officials in both states are telling residents in the water's path to heed evacuation orders and stay off flooded roads.
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