‘The worst that I’ve seen’: Floods from snowmelt destroy Navajo Nation homes
Parts of Arizona and the Southwest experienced record snowfall over winter. As the snow melted with rising spring temperatures, the water flowed downstream, causing rivers and lakes downstream to surge.
Floods from snowmelt destroy Navajo Nation homes
Many residents of Chinle in northeastern Arizona lost her homes when rain snowmelt inundated their community.
CHINLE, Ariz. – Many residents of Chinle in northeastern Arizona lost their homes when rain and water from snowmelt inundated their community last week.
Part of the Navajo Nation, Chinle was suffering from drought when the floodwaters came.
"This is the worst that I've seen ever since I've been living here," one Chinle resident said to FOX 10 reporter Marissa Sarbak.
A car partially submerged under mud and dirt.
(Marissa Sarbak / FOX 10)
Parts of Arizona and the Southwest experienced record snowfall during the winter. For example, the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, which lies west of Chinle, broke its snowfall record after receiving more than 250 inches of snow.
GRAND CANYON NORTH RIM SET TO REOPEN FOLLOWING RECORD-SETTING SNOW SEASON
As the snow melted with rising spring temperatures, the water flowed downstream, causing rivers and lakes downstream to surge.
According to the Facebook page of Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, the flooding in Chinle occurred Friday, after overflow from Wheatfields Lake and Tsaile Lake was released, and a berm meant to hold back the rising water failed.
Emergency officials try to tame the floodwaters.
(Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren / Facebook / FOX Weather)
The berm had held up against other flooding events for 15-20 years. This recent flooding event, however, was powerful enough to break it.
"A lot of homes that were right in the face of where the berm broke, and the water kept rushing into homes," Nygren said. "Some of them, that's the only thing that they have, and it was really sad to see."
For many residents, mud and sand now fill their cars and homes.
Chinle, Navajo Nation.
(Marissa Sarbak / FOX 10)
The Navajo Nation and Apache County Emergency Management Team created a joint command center directly overlooking the 3-mile radius of the affected area. Also, volunteers have sent food and water to residents.
According to Sarbak, the Navajo Nation issued an evacuation order ahead of the flooding, but many residents either could not or did not want to leave their property and livestock.
The water has now been redirected, and much of it has receded. Sarbak reported, however, that more snowmelt is expected in the coming weeks.