BLUFF, Utah (KUTV) — Several Navajo Nation communities in Utah were ordered to evacuate due to the potential for “catastrophic flooding” in the Four Corners region.
The Navajo Police Department issued the evacuation notice late Saturday night for residents in Bluff, Montezuma Creek and Aneth. They said residents should prepare to be evacuated for multiple days.
“Bring necessary medications, identification, important documents, personal hygiene items, change of clothes, pillows, blankets, cell phones and chargers,” the notice read.
Navajo Department of Emergency Management works to evacuate southeastern Utah communities on Saturday, Oct. 24 ahead of major flooding. (Photo: Navajo Police Department)
Early Sunday morning, the National Weather Service issued an emergency alert due to expected flooding of the San Juan River in southeastern Utah. Officials said major flooding is expected from Four Corners to Mexican Hat.
NWS officials said flooding will likely begin Sunday morning and peak around 5 p.m.
“If you have been evacuated, do not return to your home under any circumstances. Flooded zones present severe, hidden dangers,” officials said.
Shelters have been set up for evacuated residents at Aneth Community School and San Juan High School. Residents who need help evacuating can contact the Montezuma Creek EMS Station at 435-651-3754.
MORE | Flooding:
This screengrab taken from video made with a smartphone and provided by Chelsey Field shows flooding on her neighbor’s property Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, in Hurricane, Utah. (Chelsey Field via AP)
The evacuation comes after the Four Corners region and southwestern Utah experienced extreme floods earlier in the week. The Four Corners region received nearly five inches of rain in a 48-hour period Wednesday and Thursday.
Several Utah schools in San Juan County released students early on Wednesday and extended at-home learning the next day due to heavy rains.
Further west in Hurricane City an estimated 130 residential structures were damaged at one RV park alone. This is the second time in the last two months that the neighborhoods along the Gould Wash were damaged by floodwaters.
The storms didn’t only impact Utah, with New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona also experiencing extreme weather conditions.
Photo captures major flooding in Shiprock, New Mexico as heavy rainfall inundates communities in the Four Corners region. (Photo: Navajo Police Department)
Multiple people were rescued in communities along the San Juan River in New Mexico as flooding devastated homes and properties. New Mexico officials said people were trapped on roofs and in houses filled with three to four feet of water.
In Colorado, Archuleta County officials said they experienced “catastrophic infrastructure damage” due to unprecedented flooding. And in Arizona, tornadoes blew off roofs and knocked over trees and power lines.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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