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Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico grapple with flooding : NPR
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Historic flooding is impacting San Juan County, New Mexico, and surrounding areas in the Four Corners region, with emergency responders rescuing residents from flooded homes and mandatory evacuations in place.
- The flooding follows rare, heavy rainfall from a slow-moving low-pressure system linked to remnants of Hurricane Trudy, causing record rainfall totals of up to six inches in mountainous areas and widespread road closures and infrastructure damage.
- Emergency declarations have been issued across multiple states, including Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, with National Guard deployments and shelter-in-place or evacuation orders issued in affected counties and tribal areas.
- Climate scientists attribute the severe storms to increased atmospheric moisture fueled by record-warm West Coast ocean temperatures driven by El Niño and marine heat waves, consistent with predictions of extreme precipitation events in the Southwest.
- Authorities warn that the threat of flooding and severe weather remains active through the weekend, urging residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and prepared for additional impacts.
