Floodwaters sweep cabin into bridge as Pagosa Springs roads close

Floodwaters from the San Juan River destroyed a cabin in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, smashing the structure into a bridge. The rising water forced residents to evacuate and knocked out cell phone service across the area. Roads and the bridge were closed to traffic as the river level climbed.

The current surge followed a previous flooding event that occurred one week earlier. The San Juan River reached a crest of approximately 17 feet after the latest round of rain. This new wave of water added to the existing damage in the community.

Andrew Dustin, an evacuee, stated that the flood took out about three quarters of his neighborhood. He noted his own house remained safe because he raised it three feet above ground level. A mobile home was also swept away by the current before it struck the bridge.

Henry Maes, a local resident, described the scene as people suffered from the high water. He recalled seeing a house floating down the river in pieces just thirty minutes before speaking to reporters. Maes had to walk across the bridge, which was closed to vehicles, to retrieve his heart medication.

Maes said he planned to check the post office for the mail, though he was unsure if delivery was possible. He expressed doubt about whether the post office could even transport mail under the current conditions.

Flooding also affected other communities in southern Colorado. In Durango, resident Rob Bitner returned from a vacation to find his home impacted. He said he had stayed in a hotel room the previous night but did not know if he needed to secure another room for that evening.