US Southwest braces for more storms after enduring days of rain and flooding | Weather in the United States

A new round of heavy showers and thunderstorms were expected in the southwestern United States on Sunday, after the region endured days of rain that forced evacuations, water rescues and millions of dollars in damage.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for much of the Four Corners — where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet — even as local officials predicted further receding of swollen rivers that have surged since rains resumed Wednesday.

About 3 feet of water flooded the home of Shane Ferrari, the sheriff of San Juan County, New Mexico. He said the situation in the area was stable on Sunday, but he and other residents were trying to clean up and repair the damage.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement Saturday that law enforcement reported hundreds of water rescues between the cities of Farmington and Bloomfield.

“Families from Bloomfield and Farmington spent the night on rooftops watching the river flood their homes, and our National Guard and State Police teams brought them to safety,” Lujan Grisham said. “Right now, our focus is on saving lives. If you’re told to evacuate, leave. Once the water recedes, the state will do everything in its power to help San Juan County families rebuild.”

“No deaths have been reported,” she added.

The San Juan River in Farmington surpassed its previous record set in 1909 by 2 feet on Friday.

San Juan County spokesman Devin Neeley said the county did not have official figures on damage to homes or the number of people evacuated, but was not aware of any loss of life.

Neeley said floodwaters were receding but leaving behind mud and silt, much of which has been contaminated by sewage due to breakdowns at waste treatment plants. There were still power outages in several areas, and it would likely be a few days before residents had power restored.

“It’s a pretty active disaster area,” he said. “We are not in a slowdown phase by any means.”

These floods are just the latest after two months of intermittent heavy rains caused by tropical humidity coming from the Pacific. After months of drought, other deadly floods have recently hit the Grand Canyon and parts of New Mexico.