Red Cross Responds to Devastating Southwest Flooding; Hundreds of Homes Affected in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico

A young boy stands with a woman in a Red Cross vest.

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Red Cross volunteer Debra Gore from Ahwatukee City, Arizona has been helping people staying at the Red Cross evacuation center in Farmington, New Mexico. She is pictured with eight-year-old Brycen Bloom from Bloomfield, New Mexico. Brycen and his family arrived at the Red Cross evacuation center in Farmington, New Mexico after being evacuated from their home due to rapidly rising floodwaters along the San Juan River.

A young boy lays on a cot in a disaster shelter.

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Brayden is only four years old and was forced to leave his home after his family was evacuated due to rapidly rising floodwaters along the San Juan River. Here he relaxes comfortably on a cot at the Red Cross shelter in Farmington, New Mexico, The shelter is providing a safe place to sleep, food and counseling services for hundreds of area residents.

Water and mud cover a neighborhood damaged from flooding.

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This neighborhood along the San Juan River near Farmington, New Mexico received significant damage following repeated rounds of severe storms that swelled rivers and seasonal creeks, inundating communities throughout the Southwest. The American Red Cross is providing shelter, meals and support to those evacuated from their homes.

Two vehicles are submerged in floodwater – a car and an SUV.

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Cars are submerged in this neighborhood along the San Juan River near Farmington, New Mexico after floodwaters rose quickly, forcing people to evacuate.

A woman in a Red Cross vest stands talking to another woman surrounded by mud from flooding.

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Red Cross volunteer Amy Larsen (left) from Aurora, Colorado speaks to Nicole Henderson (right) of Waterflow, New Mexico about the flood damage caused to Henderson’s great uncle’s home along the San Juan River. “My uncle said he prayed for rain all summer long,” says Henderson. “He goes: ‘we got it, Mother Nature gave it back to us. I'm not mad. I'm not angry. My memories are right here. But it's okay. We'll fix it.’”

November 02, 2026

"It was really scary. I thought our house was gonna float away like a boat."

Disaster Summary:

American Red Cross disaster volunteers are helping people impacted by the devastating flooding in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, making sure they have a safe place to stay, meals, and other support after being forced to evacuate, leaving everything they hold dear behind.
Early estimates indicate hundreds of homes have been destroyed or received major damage. Where it is safe to do so, Red Cross volunteers are helping assess the residential damage which will help us to better understand what help families may need in the coming days and weeks.
Help can’t wait. People look to the Red Cross for help and we can’t do it alone. You can help people affected by disasters like storms, floods and countless other crises by making a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief. You can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small, whenever and wherever they occur across the country.

Devastating flooding is still occurring across the Southwest where floodwaters have damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes in Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. The American Red Cross is responding across the three states, working with partners and officials to make sure people who have been affected get the help and support they need.

The flooding began a week ago and the threat continued this weekend as heavy rain fell again, forcing new evacuations and water rescues. In Sedona, Arizona, officials reported an excessive number of rescue operations, while people in hard hit San Juan County in New Mexico braced for new damage on top of the destruction from the earlier flooding. In Colorado, people who had to leave their homes during the earlier flooding faced new evacuation orders before they could recover from the initial damage.

REALLY SCARY The situation was frightening for people threatened by the raging floodwaters. Eight-year-old Brycen Bloom and his family had to leave their home along the San Juan River in New Mexico. "It was really scary,” the young elementary school student said. “I thought our house was gonna float away like a boat."

Brycen, his parents, younger brother and grandfather have been staying at the Red Cross shelter in Farmington while they wait to learn what their future looks like. It’s uncertain when they will be able to go home and if anything can be salvaged.

At the shelter, Brycen and his family found more than a safe place to stay. They found caring volunteers like Debra Gore, who helped turn a frightening experience into one filled with comfort, kindness and reassurance. "Everyone has been so kind and helpful; thanks to the Red Cross for coming out and pulling this all together," said Brycen's father, Chris Bloom.

HELP CAN’T WAIT. People look to the Red Cross for help and in this year when major disasters upended lives across the country and beyond, we can’t do it alone. Devastating wildfires in Southern California, catastrophic flooding in Texas, Typhoon Halong in Alaska, and three powerful super typhoons that caused widespread destruction in Guam, Saipan and Tinian left communities reeling.

Through it all, the Red Cross was there.

You can help people affected by disasters like storms, floods and countless other crises by making a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief. You can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small, whenever and wherever they occur across the country.

RED CROSS RESPONSE Almost 140 Red Cross disaster volunteers have stepped up to help. Shelters are open across the three states where more than 280 people stayed Sunday night. In addition to providing a safe place to stay, the Red Cross also providing meals, health and mental health services and things like comfort kits containing personal hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and shampoo.

Some highways remain closed and some areas are still inaccessible. Where it is safe to do so, Red Cross volunteers are helping assess the residential damage. This work will help make it clearer what help families may need in the coming days and weeks.

Trained Red Cross volunteers are helping families cope during this challenging time and replacing medical items either lost or left behind when people evacuated. This includes prescription medications, eyeglasses and critical medical equipment like canes and wheelchairs.

SHELTERS OPEN The Red Cross and partners have shelters open across the three states – Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Everyone is welcome and they don’t have to stay overnight to get help. Anyone affected is welcome to stop by for a hot meal, to charge their phone and get other support.

Find shelter locations on redcross.org, the free Red Cross Emergency app or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). You can also follow your local Red Cross or emergency officials on social media, sign up for free local government alerts or monitor local news.

Red Cross shelters are open to everyone in need, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability or citizenship status. When you arrive at a Red Cross shelter, you’ll be asked to register and provide some basic information, along with any specific needs you may have during your stay. Next, you’ll be assigned a specific cot location, learn about mealtimes and other available services or rules.

If you have a pet or service animal, we’ll help you to get them situated as comfortably as possible.

FLOODING SAFETY Be prepared to evacuate immediately if local officials ask you to do so. Don’t return home until they say it is safe.

Don’t walk, swim or drive through floodwaters. Turn around, don’t drown!
Stay off the roads. If you must drive and you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and go another way.
Follow evacuation routes and don’t try to take shortcuts because they may be blocked.
If you’re caught on a flooded road and waters are rising around you, quickly get out of the car, move to higher ground and stay there.
Check with loved ones and neighbors to see if they need help.

After a flood:

Stay away from floodwaters, which may contain sewage, sharp items, bacteria and chemicals that can make you sick.
Cleaning up after a flood can be overwhelming. Be cautious and take care of yourself.
Wear protective clothing, including long pants, boots, work gloves and an N95 respirator to protect your lungs.
Watch out for debris and avoid fallen power lines, poles and wires.
Don’t touch electrical equipment if it’s wet or if you’re standing in water.
Flooding can contaminate drinking water. Follow the advice of local public health officials to protect yourself. Throw out food that got wet or warm. When in doubt, throw it out!
If your home was flooded, completely dry your home and everything in it as quickly as possible to help prevent mold. Keep wet areas well-ventilated and throw away wet materials that can’t be repaired or dried.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.