Colorado Governor Declares State of Emergency
Colorado governor Jared Polis has declared a state of emergency for counties impacted by flash floods in the southwestern part of the state.
Tropical Storm Priscilla brought heavy rain, dropping at least 4 to 6 inches of water on Archuleta and La Plata counties, causing unprecedented flooding.
There’s entire trees going down. I mean, you can hear it from miles away, the impact of this,”
said Gabe Priestly, a Pagosa Springs Downtown resident. The San Juan River overflowed, flooding businesses and hotel resorts, and prompting evacuations in the tourist town.
- Flash floods devastated the southwestern part of the state
- Tropical Storm Priscilla brought heavy rain
- Evacuations were prompted in Pagosa Springs
Priestly noted that the river rose gradually, but the floods still took the town by surprise.
“We saw it in the morning, and then somebody said, ‘You better go check out the river.’ Just a few hours later,”
said Priestley. “By then, it had risen probably 4 feet to the point where it was starting to cause damage on stuff.
Author summary: Governor declares emergency due to flash floods.