By Ira – JBizNews Desk

FARMINGTON, N.M. – Rescue crews spent Friday night pulling people off rooftops and out of flooded homes across the Four Corners region, where a storm that one police chief called a “once in a generation” event has forced mass evacuations, knocked out power and left entire neighborhoods underwater in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

The flooding is the result of a brutal combination: two months of heavy rain that ended a summer drought, followed by another 4 inches since Wednesday falling on ground already too saturated to absorb it. More rain is forecast through the weekend.

The hardest-hit area so far is around Farmington, New Mexico, the largest city in the region, where roughly 600 households along the San Juan River were ordered to evacuate. New Mexico National Guard boats, helicopters and amphibious vehicles worked through the night to reach stranded residents.

“We’re picking people off of roofs and pulling people out of houses that have 3 or 4 feet of water in them, and there’s more water coming,” San Juan County spokesperson Devin Neeley said.

Downstream, the Navajo Nation braced for floodwaters expected to peak late Friday or early Saturday. “Do not wait to make your evacuations,” Deputy Police Chief Donnie Kee urged residents. In Colorado, pickup trucks sat submerged along Highway 160 in South Fork, and floodwaters surrounded trailers at a campground and RV park. In Utah, the city of Hurricane spent Friday clearing mud and debris, including a shipping container that had floated down a street. Tornadoes earlier in the week tore roofs off homes and downed power lines in Arizona.

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe did not mince words at a news conference: “People are not believing that it’s going to be as bad as it is. But you can see the water flow coming, you can see the surge coming.”

What This Means for Homeowners and Insurance

Here is the part of the story that will matter long after the water recedes, and it surprises people every time: standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Not in New Mexico, not anywhere. Flood coverage is a separate policy, most often bought through the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program, and most people who don’t live in officially designated flood zones never buy it.

That gap is exactly why floods are the costliest natural disaster for ordinary families. A homeowner with a few feet of water in the living room can face tens of thousands of dollars in damage with no insurance payout to cover it. Federal disaster assistance, when it is eventually declared, typically comes as modest grants or low-interest loans, not full reimbursement.

There is also a longer-term cost that reaches every homeowner, even those far from the Four Corners. Each disaster of this scale adds to the strain on the insurance system. Insurers have been raising premiums and pulling back from disaster-prone regions across the country, and events like this one accelerate both trends. If your renewal notice has been climbing lately, storms like this are part of the reason.

What to Do If You’re Affected

For residents in the flood zone, officials’ advice is consistent: obey evacuation orders immediately rather than waiting, move valuables and documents upstairs if time allows, and never drive through standing water, which is the leading cause of flood deaths. Once it is safe, photograph all damage before cleaning up, and contact both your insurer and FEMA, since separate programs may apply.

With more rain forecast this weekend and rivers still rising, emergency officials say the danger is not over.

The Bottom Line

A “once in a generation” flood is exactly the kind of event that exposes how thin most families’ protection really is. If you live anywhere near a flood-prone area, tonight is a good night to check whether your insurance actually covers flooding. For most homeowners, the answer is no, and finding out after the water rises is too late.

JBizNews Desk | Farmington, N.M.

© JBizNews.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution is strictly prohibited.