Catastrophic flooding in Northwest New Mexico may take years to recover from, official says

The Four Corners region was hit with catastrophic flooding last week as heavy rains caused rivers to overflow their banks and inundate communities. Evacuations were ordered for parts of San Juan County in Northwest New Mexico last week and hundreds of homes and other buildings were destroyed or damaged. There were more than 60 water rescues, though there were no reported deaths in the county. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, San Juan County Manager Mike Stark joins *Santa Fe New Mexican* reporter Daniel J. Chacón to discuss the devastating effects of the flooding and where things stand for residents a week later. Stark says many residents who had their homes damaged or destroyed do not have flood insurance and will need assistance to rebuild. Damage estimates are still being tallied, but Stark says the final figure could total in the hundreds of millions of dollars. As a safety warning, residents are recommended not to return to evacuated areas due to hazmat concerns and the potential for more rainfall in the coming days. Stark says scammers have tried to take advantage of the tragedy. He recommends people go to the Office of Emergency Management for San Juan County Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/oemsjc/) or the office’s website at https://www.sjcoem.com to get connected with resources, recovery information and ways to help. Speaking of a timetable for recovery, Stark says it may take years for some areas to get back in good order but “we’re in it for the long haul in trying to provide for these citizens who have had their lives turned upside down.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.