Severe flooding in US west triggers rooftop rescues and evacuation orders – The Guardian

Severe flooding in US west triggers rooftop rescues and evacuation orders  The Guardian

At least one injured after flooding in Four Corners region – which includes Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah Severe flooding in the Four Corners region on Friday led to water rescues – some from rooftops – and impassable roads, with some residents being told to evacuate low-lying areas of Colorado and New Mexico and others advised to shelter in place until water levels go down. It followed several busy days of flooding in the region that swamped dozens of homes in Utah. Earlier in the week, tornadoes blew off roofs, knocked trees on to houses and downed power lines in Arizona. At least one person was injured. An unknown number of people were rescued overnight and continued to be rescued on Friday by New Mexico guard boats, helicopters and amphibious vehicles, Devin Neeley, a San Juan county spokesperson, said.

“We’re picking people off of roofs and pulling people out of houses that have 3 or 4ft (1-1.5 metres) of water in them, and there’s more water coming,” Neeley said. Skies were clearing but the rivers continued to rise, with forecast crests surpassed, he added. “This is serious. We’re still sending deputies as I speak to get people out of their homes right now. In fact, our sheriff is damn near going to lose his home today,” Neeley said. About