NewsWPLG Local 10October 26, 2026Miami-Dade County
Severe storms and tornadoes cause widespread flooding across the Four Corners region
Photo: WPLG Local 10
Heavy rain and tornadoes caused severe flooding across parts of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, prompting flood watches, evacuations, and power outages. Emergency crews are inspecting damaged infrastructure, including wastewater facilities in the Navajo Nation, while officials warn residents of hazards such as contaminated water.
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10Why It Matters
Residents across multiple states face property damage, ongoing evacuations, and potential health hazards from contaminated water and downed utility lines following days of severe weather.
Key Facts
- Heavy rain and at least one tornado caused severe flooding across the Southwest U.S., specifically impacting the Four Corners region.
- A tornado touched down in Santa Fe, New Mexico, around 7 p.m. Saturday.
- The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for much of the Four Corners region due to saturated soils and ongoing rain.
- Hundreds of residents remain without power and under evacuation orders in the Farmington and Bloomfield areas of New Mexico.
- San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari's home was flooded with about 4 feet of water.
- Officials warned that receding floodwaters may be contaminated with chemicals and raw sewage, with potential broken gas and propane lines.
- In the Navajo Nation, wastewater facilities and water holding ponds in Shiprock were damaged, causing sewage to enter the San Juan River.
- New Mexico's congressional delegation urged President Donald Trump to declare an emergency to release federal assistance funding.
- In Archuleta County, Colorado, teams performed aerial scanning and welfare checks on what the sheriff called catastrophic flooding.
- Forecasters attributed the unusually heavy rainfall to tropical moisture coming ashore from the Pacific and El Niño.
Who's Mentioned
PersonCory Tanner“Undersheriff”PersonWilfred Franklin Jr.“Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Shiprock District Manager”PersonDevin Neeley“spokesperson for San Juan County, New Mexico”PersonVicki Shaffer“spokesperson with the Colorado incident management team”PersonShane Ferrari“Sheriff of San Juan County”PersonAbigail Flatt“Bloomfield resident affected by floods”PersonDavid Vega“San Juan County Fire & Rescue Chief”PersonAnna Wilder“Associated Press writer”PersonZach Flatt“Bloomfield resident affected by floods”PersonDonald Trump“President urged to declare an emergency”PersonKris Sanders“meteorologist at the weather service office in Grand Junction, Colorado”PersonScott Overpeck“meteorologist with the weather service office in Albuquerque”PersonMichelle Vialpando“resident who spotted a tornado in Santa Fe”PersonChristopher Weber“Associated Press writer”PersonMike Le Roux“Sheriff in Archuleta County, Colorado”