Flash floods after torrential rain in the southwestern United States have forced mass evacuations. There are fears that the danger could match the historic 1911 catastrophe.

A serious warning has been issued for the spa town of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The San Juan River was expected to rise to more than 6.1 meters (20 feet) overnight from Saturday to Sunday. When it reached about 5.4 meters (17.7 feet) in 1911, the town was nearly destroyed.

According to ABC News, officials in Pagosa Springs, a Rocky Mountain town in southwestern Colorado known for its hot springs and proximity to ski resorts, warned of a “potentially catastrophic flood.”

Pagosa Springs officials urged people in low-lying areas along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra rivers to go to a designated shelter at one of the local churches.

Mandatory evacuations were also ordered in a number of communities in Arizona. Among them, Gila County officials ordered a full evacuation of Gisela, a small community of several hundred residents on Tonto Creek.

Intense rainfall also led to flash floods and overflowing rivers in Tucson, about 370 kilometers (230 miles) south of Sedona. Boat rescues were needed in the city.

“In just a few days, we got as much rain as we usually get in two or three months,” said Aaron Hardin, a meteorologist in Tucson.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued flood warnings and alerts for nearly all of Arizona, as well as parts of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, western New Mexico and southern Nevada. They also cover the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet.

From New York, Andrzej Dobrowolski (PAP)