Evacuations remain active as southern Colorado flooding shuts down roads, schools

Rivers continued to flood communities in southern Colorado on Tuesday, fueled by excess runoff from overnight rain and surpassing weekend flood levels.

The “hazardous conditions” have closed roads, evacuated residents and shut down school districts, according to Archuleta County officials.

Mandatory evacuations remained in place Tuesday morning across Archuleta County, and, although the rain had stopped, the river continued to rise as water runoff flowed from multiple catchment areas, according to the sheriff’s office.

Rapidly rising water levels and the major flood threat caused town and county officials to issue a mandatory evacuation order for all residents living along Hermosa and San Juan streets the prior evening, police said. Evacuated residents should not attempt to return home