San Juan River floods San Juan County again as families clear last week's debris

The San Juan River reached major flood stage around noon on Monday, prompting evacuations across parts of San Juan County. Emergency managers issued alerts for residents living within half a mile of the river and the Animas River, which also overflowed its banks.

Wild Horse Valley residents face a second round of damage in less than two weeks. Shawnita Jones, a local resident, reported that the neighborhood remains heavily damaged from the previous week's storm. She stated that water has entered homes and that many families lost livestock, including cattle and chickens, during the recovery period.

"Our community has been just devastated by this horrible storm, and we can't take much more of it," Jones said. She noted that thunder and lightning frightened her children, and falling trees struck their house during the recent weather event.

The current flooding complicates cleanup efforts in an area already dealing with rising water levels. Jones said her animals did not return for a full day during the latest storm, and she observed a general absence of animals in the area.

"They've lost animals. I mean, our own animals didn't come back for the whole day," Jones said. She added that there are no animals left in the immediate vicinity and that everything appears gone.

Families in San Juan County are now working to clear debris from last week's flooding while managing the new water rise. The back-to-back storms have left residents with limited resources and increased uncertainty regarding their homes.