Flash floods damaged homes, roads and neighborhoods across the US Southwest on November 1 and 2, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate and prompting rescue operations in Arizona and Colorado. At least one person died, while police said a second death may be linked to the severe weather.
The flooding followed several days of heavy rain across the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. In Arboles, Colorado, floodwaters swept away cars, motorhomes and homes. In Camp Verde, Arizona, residents sought safety as water rose around an RV park.
Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter crews carried out 27 rescue missions over the weekend, rescuing 20 people, the agency reported. Those rescues included 18 people near Oak Creek in Sedona and two operations elsewhere in southern Arizona; the agency did not attribute the total to Camp Verde.
River flooding and recovery efforts
The San Juan River crested at 16.81 feet (about 5.1 metres) in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, flooding parts of the town before the water level began to fall. Evacuation orders remained in effect in parts of the town on Monday morning, according to local authorities.
In Durango, about 200 residents joined cleanup efforts on Monday, clearing mud and debris from homes and streets. The flooding also affected communities around Camp Verde, where evacuations and road closures disrupted local services.
Flagstaff officials confirmed that 73-year-old Williams Singavarapu died after falling into floodwaters on November 1; he was found dead the following day. A second man was found in a storm drain, and police said his death might be related to the weather, pending an official determination.
Rainfall brought some relief to reservoirs in the drought-stricken region, even as flood warnings and recovery work continued.
Clayton Ward