Thousands displaced by historic Southwest flooding linked to El Niño
Intense rainstorms displaced thousands and caused an estimated $200 million to $300 million in damage across four states.
The San Juan River near Farmington, New Mexico rose from about 3.5 feet to 14 feet in just 36 hours last week. The floodwaters inundated neighborhoods across the city and broke records for the highest water ever recorded there.
Emergency crews rescued between 200 and 300 county residents using helicopters, amphibious vehicles and swift-water teams. The river grew so wide that locals said they had never seen anything like it in their lifetimes.
Neighboring states were hit hard too: South Fork, Colorado saw neighborhoods buried under two to three feet of water. Officials have warned residents to stay out of floodwater because it contains raw sewage, pesticides, diesel and other hazards.
The damage is still being assessed, but New Mexico's governor says infrastructure damage alone could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
- From 3.5 feet to 14 feet
- River rise in 36 hours
- About 46,000 people
- Farmington population
- 200 to 300 million dollars
- Estimated damage range
- Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona
- States affected
Why it mattersThe flooding destroyed homes and infrastructure across four states, disrupting thousands of lives.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, but extreme weather linked to El Niño and strong hurricane seasons can influence Australian weather patterns and rainfall months later.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
