By — Brittany Peterson, Associated Press Brittany Peterson, Associated Press By — Savannah Peters, Associated Press Savannah Peters, Associated Press By — Mead Gruver, Associated Press Mead Gruver, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/receding-floodwaters-leave-a-sea-of-mud-and-shattered-homes-in-the-u-s-southwest Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Receding floodwaters leave a sea of mud and shattered homes in the U.S. Southwest Nation Nov 3, 2026 8:06 PM EST 2026 ELECTION COVERAGE: Watch Live | Poll Closing Times | All Live Results | Live Updates | Live Fact Check PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Skies began to clear Tuesday, but while floodwaters from almost two weeks of on-and-off heavy rain still inundated parts of the U.S. Southwest, other areas left mud-caked by receding torrents presented homeowners and businessowners with the filthy work of cleanup. Jack Ellis, a retired schoolteacher, surveyed damage along the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, which has suffered through multiple rounds of severe flooding in recent weeks. "This is quite a disaster for everybody, especially in the low-lying areas," Ellis said. "We dig in…
Receding floodwaters leave a sea of mud and shattered homes in the U.S. Southwest
In short
Historic rainfall caused rivers to overflow their banks, leading to mass evacuations of at least 20,000 residents in San Juan County, New Mexico, where homes were swept off their foundations. Election Day operations faced severe complications as washed-out roads and bridge closures stranded voters in the Navajo Nation community of Rock Point, Arizona. Meanwhile, severe storms also struck eastern Florida, where over two feet of rain submerged vehicles and forced changes to 20 polling sites. Both regions are now transitioning from emergency response to recovery as floodwaters begin to recede.
Key points
- Severe weather created widespread election disruptions that prevented hundreds of strande…: Severe weather created widespread election disruptions that prevented hundreds of stranded Navajo Nation residents from casting ballots.
- Swollen rivers caused catastrophic infrastructure and structural damage, sweeping homes o…: Swollen rivers caused catastrophic infrastructure and structural damage, sweeping homes off their foundations along the San Juan River.
- Emergency personnel and residents across both the Southwest and Florida are now pivoting…: Emergency personnel and residents across both the Southwest and Florida are now pivoting toward extensive cleanup and recovery efforts.