Photo by Wes Warren on Unsplash

Severe Floods Force Rooftop Rescues in US Southwest

natureOct 25, 2026·365 words·3 min read

Severe flooding swept across the Four Corners region of the United States on Friday, October 23, forcing emergency crews to pull residents from rooftops and flooded homes in the area where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet. In San Juan County, New Mexico, National Guard boats, helicopters and amphibious vehicles worked through the night, and county spokesman Devin Neeley described houses holding three to four feet (one to one and a half metres) of water, warning that more was on its way.

The rain started on Wednesday. It came from the remains of Hurricane Trudy, an old storm from the Pacific Ocean. Some places got record amounts of rain. After weeks of rain, the ground was too wet to hold any more water. A scientist, Daniel Swain, said warm ocean water helped cause the storms. He said El Niño, a natural change in Pacific Ocean temperatures, and climate change both played a part.

Colorado's governor, Jared Polis, declared an emergency in 11 counties. In Utah, floodwater damaged more than 100 homes and RVs (large camping vans). Navajo Nation police rescued 30 people on Thursday. In Arizona, a helicopter saved four people from the roof of a truck. By midday Friday, officials had not reported any deaths. But more storms are coming this weekend, and recovery will take a long time.

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