San Juan River floods: Pagosa Springs evacuees stranded

Floodwaters on the San Juan River destroyed a mobile home and crushed a cabin against a bridge in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, on Tuesday.

The river crested at approximately 17 feet following a second round of heavy rain within one week. These waters compounded damage from flooding that occurred seven days prior. The surge triggered mandatory evacuations and cut off cell phone service across the community.

Andrew Dustin, an evacuee from the affected neighborhood, stated that the flood likely destroyed three quarters of his local area. He noted his own structure remained intact because he raised it three feet above ground level. A separate mobile home was swept downstream and collided with a bridge span.

Henry Maes, a resident, described seeing a house break apart while floating down the river. He reported that residents were in a state of distress as the water continued to rise. Maes had to walk across a bridge closed to vehicle traffic to retrieve heart medication. He expressed uncertainty about whether the local post office could deliver mail given the disrupted transport routes.

The flooding extended beyond Pagosa Springs to other parts of southern Colorado. In Durango, resident Rob Bitner returned from a vacation to find his area affected by the water. He indicated he had secured a hotel room for the previous night but did not know if he needed to reserve another one for that evening.

Roads and bridge crossings in Pagosa Springs remained closed as water levels stayed high. The community continues to manage the aftermath of the dual flooding events.