Newz(AP) — Yet more flooding made parts of the normally arid Four Corners region look more like an ocean than a desert Monday as locals kept a wary eye on a forecast for still more rain ahead.Damage in New Mexico alone after more than four days of flooding — only the latest in a deadly autumn of soaking rains in the U.S. Southwest — could total $300 million, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said.The latest town to evacuate was tiny Bluff in southeastern Utah after San Juan River flooding swamped parts of cities and towns upstream in Colorado and New Mexico.With parts of his town of 250 underwater, Mayor Josh Ewing was worried by a forecast for yet more heavy rain this weekend.
After a few days of sunny, dry weather, more rounds of rain are predicted Friday night and again on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.“It’s the second flood that really gets you, you know, because everything is completely saturated. And so we’re trying to recover fast enough to be on alert for what might happen," Ewing said.New Mexico assesses damage, awaits aidUpstream from Bluff, in Farmington, New Mexico, Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and elsewhere along the San Juan and Animas rivers, hundreds of homes remained evacuated or cut off by flooded roads. Many homes were still without power as officials assessed when it would be safe for residents to return and have their utilities turned back on.President Donald Trump on Monday announced federal disaster assistance would be available to New Mexico with 25% to be matched by agencies in the state.
Earlier in the day, Lujan Grisham expressed concern about the matching requirement but said she would “frontload” state resources for flood recovery.She estimated that the costs of debris removal, road and bridge repair and other “longhaul” recovery could amount to as much as $300 million.“I don’t care if it’s a billion dollars. The goal here is to identify every state, every federal, every local resource and get it where it belongs,” Lujan Grisham said.New Mexico had the only reported death so far in the latest flooding. Isabelle Beulaygue, 39, was swept away while attempting to cross a flooded arroyo in a vehicle Saturday in Santa Fe, authorities said.Damage spread onto the vast Navajo Nation spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.Lupita Villa, her husband and three young children evacuated their rental home along…
A passenger in a vehicle was swept away while attempting to cross a flooded arroyo Saturday in Santa Fe.Damage spread onto the vast Navajo Nation spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.Lupita Villa, her husband and three young children evacuated their rental home along the San Juan River in Farming…
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