Flash floods devastate US Southwest, sweeping homes away

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 19:56 · Archive

Heavy rain has triggered severe flash floods across the southwestern United States, destroying homes and forcing hundreds to evacuate.

Severe flash floods swept across the southwestern United States on Monday following days of heavy rain. Aerial images showed roads, neighbourhoods and fields submerged across the region. In Colorado, cars, motorhomes and homes were swept away in Arboles, whilst in Camp Verde, Arizona, residents scrambled to safety as water rose around an RV park.

At least one person died in the floodwaters, and police suspect a second death was weather-related. Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate, and rescue teams carried out dozens of operations, including helicopter rescues. The floods affected communities across the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. According to calculations by former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist Ryan Maue, more than 20 trillion gallons of rain have fallen on the Four Corners states and Nevada in the past two weeks.

In Durango, Colorado, around 200 residents joined clean-up efforts, clearing mud and debris from homes and streets. The San Juan River reached 16.81 feet, flooding parts of the town before its level began to fall. Officials said cleanup and repairs could take weeks or more. Some communities in Colorado and Utah made alternative voting plans because of the flooding. The heavy rainfall also brought some relief to reservoirs in a region enduring prolonged drought.

How it is being reported

• Receding floodwaters leave a sea of mud and shattered homes in the US SouthwestMassive flooding in the southwestern U.S. has turned communities into lakes of mud, with residents starting cleanup effortsIndependent World · 3 Nov, 19:32
• Flash floods devastate US Southwest, sweeping away homes and carsFlash floods sweep across the United States Southwest, destroying homes, stranding residents and forcing hundreds to evacuate.Euronews · 3 Nov, 14:43

In this story: Colorado · Arizona · New Mexico · Utah · San Juan River · Pagosa Springs · Camp Verde · Durango

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log