FLAGSTAFF, Arizona (AP) — A rapid spring thaw after an unusually wet winter has caused flooding across the Southwest and into the Rocky Mountains, causing residents of the Rocky Mountains and Upper Midwest to ditch the rapids of creeks and rivers. They take refuge inside and stock up on sandbags.
Paramedics rescued people from at least two vehicles from a storm surge Thursday night in Jemez Pueblo, north of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the National Weather Service said.
However, there were no immediate reports of fatalities from serious injuries. A flood warning has been issued for the area along the Jemez River over the next week.
In Flagstaff, Arizona, a street neighbor has been using a shovel to try and keep floods out of his home since Tuesday.
Three creek reservoirs installed last year have helped improve the flow of water off the city’s burnt mountains, officials said. Still, water has engulfed the shoulders of local highways, and several roads and sidewalks have been closed this week as temperatures rise and snow melts into neighborhoods. bottom.
Officials said it was a strategy-less scenario.
“It would be nice if we had an exact model of what we need to do, but we don’t,” said Flagstaff Deputy Mayor Austin Aslan. Arizona Daily Sun. “We don’t know what the next fire will look like or where its scars will be. There will be small differences where the water will be directed to some area.”
Sandoval County in north-central New Mexico issued a disaster emergency declaration following severe flooding in communities near the Jemez River.
No evacuation orders had been issued, but residents in the area between Jemez Pueblo and Jemez Springs, which regularly flood during the summer rainy season, were collecting sandbags as a precaution. The local police chief estimated that more than a dozen homes and other structures along the river were at risk of flooding.
Albuquerque’s National Weather Service said Thursday evening that “as temperatures continue to rise, snow packs are melting rapidly and river flows are increasing.”
The deluge also caused a runoff from a wastewater treatment plant that was channeling recycled water into the Jemez River. The U.S. Forest Service has advised people not to fish the river or drink water south of the plant.
In Salt Lake City, Mayor Erin Mendenhall signed an emergency order late Wednesday aimed at helping residents whose homes have been threatened by flooding in the southeastern part of the city. About 100 families voluntarily evacuated as the snow melted rapidly in nearby mountains, flooding nearby streams.
The water was receding as cooler weather moved into the area. Still, multiple landslides have been reported on Canyon Road, temporarily closing Interstate 80 southeast of the city early Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, local authorities north of Salt Lake City issued an evacuation order for at least 20 homes in Kaysville. Flooding caused major fissures that damaged the streets, sidewalks and driveways of the subdivision under construction.
Meanwhile, heavy snowfall and high temperatures expected to hit 60 degrees Thursday have caused flooding in northwestern Colorado, prompting transportation officials to close Highway 40 between Craig and Steamboat Springs. .
A flood in the small mountain town of Hayden forces the school to close. Rain was forecast for Thursday afternoon, turning to snow overnight.
The Colorado Department of Transportation has posted photos online showing floodwaters with a dry creek overflowing the embankment of a bridge there, threatening several parked recreational vehicles.
The National Weather Service said some roads could become impassable over the weekend and urged motorists to avoid crossing flooded intersections.
However, as of Thursday, there were no reports of major damage in Utah or Colorado.
Rapid snowmelt and possible showers in April have increased the threat of major flooding in the Northern Plains. Residents have assembled thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of sandbags to hold back water.
The Red River Valley, which includes Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota, had one of the snowiest winters on record. Heavy rains can cause rivers to swell quickly, Moorhead city engineer Bob Zimmerman told Minnesota Public Radio.
Democratic Gov. Tim Waltz of Minnesota said at a press conference on Thursday that the state is ready to respond with financial aid for the floods if needed.
He added that rising temperatures and rising water levels due to climate change are affecting the state’s months-long preparations for the spring flood season.
Local, state, and federal public safety and emergency management partners are stepping up their monitoring and preparedness efforts, according to state departments of public safety.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has declared a statewide emergency for spring floods, making the National Guard available to help fight the floods in the coming weeks, the Bismarck Tribune reported. The city of Bismarck has opened a place for residents to bury their sandbags.
In northern Montana, the Milk River was expected to reach its highest level in more than a decade, flooding some rural areas.
Glasgow’s riverside emergency authorities were patrolling the levee protecting the city of about 3,200 people to make sure it was holding up, said Rick Cyler, coordinator of the Valley County Disaster and Emergency Services. said. Shelters were placed in the lowlands in case evacuation was needed.
Flooding was expected to last until next week, according to the National Weather Service.
Seiler said heavy rain fell across the region on Thursday, with snow continuing to fall in higher elevations.
Associated Press writer Trisha Ahmed in Minneapolis. Matthew Brown of Billings, Montana. Terry Tan of Phoenix. Denver’s Thomas Pipert. and his Scott Sonner of Reno, Nevada contributed to this report.
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