New Mexico massively floods swamp homes, prompts rooftop rescues

Raging floodwaters have ravaged northwest New Mexico, trapping families on rooftops and sparking frantic helicopter rescues as a powerful Pacific storm unleashes chaos across the Southwest.

“Once in a generation” flooding along the San Juan and Animas rivers hit San Juan County communities Thursday, with more water expected to surge downstream through the weekend.

New Mexico State Police and National Guard troops were seen bringing stranded residents to safety and wading across the river in Bloomfield as floodwaters engulfed cars, flowed into homes and forced families onto roofs.

“We lost everything, everything… We were all freaking out and stuff, but one of us had to be the adult,” mother Aimee Goodday told KOAT.

Goodday was awakened around midnight Friday when freezing floodwaters began pouring into her trailer. She rushed her family to the roof, where they were stranded for 12 hours before rescuers finally reached them.

“This is a once-in-a-generation time. It’s unique and it’s real. So far we haven’t had any deaths, but it’s not something to be trifled with,” Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said at a news conference.

At least 60 rescues have been made between Farmington and Bloomfield since Thursday afternoon, according to KOAT. An infant suffering from seizures was also rescued Thursday evening by the New Mexico National Guard.

Flooding forced about 600 Farmington households to evacuate, while emergency shelters were opened in McGee Park to house displaced families.

Download the California Post app, follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletters

The disaster was triggered by a Pacific storm system that moved inland across Southern California, dumping heavy rains and sending millions of gallons of runoff into the San Juan and Animas rivers.

The storm hit several southwestern states, including Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

In Utah, the town of Hurricane declared a state of emergency Thursday after “approximately 80 residences and 50 recreational vehicles” were affected.

Southern Colorado also saw floodwaters rise as much as four to five feet inside some homes, forcing residents to escape.

“As of this morning, approximately 1,000 families have been evacuated,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis told the Colorado Sun.

Polis also declared a state of emergency, calling on residents to follow instructions from local authorities as the region grapples with devastating flooding.