Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has declared a disaster emergency in several counties in the southern part of the state. After record rainfall, rivers overflowed and some residents had to evacuate.
The decision was made Thursday evening, Oct. 22. It covers La Plata, Archuleta and Montezuma counties, among others. On Thursday, the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra rivers rose to dangerous levels, and serious flooding was also reported near South Fork on the Rio Grande. A mandatory evacuation was ordered in Archuleta County.
According to preliminary data from the National Weather Service (NWS), 5 to 10 homes were destroyed west of South Fork, and buildings in Archuleta and Saguache counties were also damaged. In Alamosa, it is the wettest October on record.
Major roads were closed, including Red Mountain Pass (U.S. 550) and Wolf Creek Pass (U.S. 160), as well as a stretch of U.S. 160 between Pagosa Springs and Bayfield. Before traveling, check current conditions at cotrip.org.
The flood threat is expected to last until Sunday morning. Heavy snow is forecast for the higher elevations of the mountains in southwestern Colorado.
Source: Colorado Springs Gazette, NWS, CDOT
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