San Juan River Flooding Continues: Shiprock Bridge Closed Early Oct. 24 as Rescues Ran Overnight
In the early hours of October 24, 2026, flooding continued along the San Juan River in northwestern New Mexico. The Shiprock Bridge, a key link between Navajo Nation communities and the outside, was closed for safety reasons, and rescue operations ran through the night. According to the Navajo Police Department, rescuers moved residents out of flood-surrounded areas to safety, completing 20 rescues in a single night, several involving multiple people.
Meanwhile, areas south of Shiprock along the San Juan River lost power, and a nearby wastewater treatment facility was affected by the flooding; it paused operations before resuming, though the risk of sewage reaching the river still worries downstream communities.
The Four Corners region around Shiprock has seen days of heavy rain this week, raising the San Juan and Animas rivers. In an October 23 San Juan County emergency briefing, Navajo police had already urged residents in potentially affected areas to prepare to evacuate, including arranging transport for family members and livestock. The Navajo Parks and Recreation Department closed the nearby Four Corners Monument on October 23, and it remained closed on October 24 due to unsafe conditions. Rescue efforts were concentrated between Farmington and Shiprock, and police said their resources were stretched thin, urging residents not to risk wading through floodwater and to follow evacuation guidance.
Source: GSM News
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 希普罗克岩（新墨西哥州）。摄影 Bowie Snodgrass，CC BY，经 Wikimedia Commons。 Shiprock, New Mexico. Photo by Bowie Snodgrass, CC BY, via Wikimedia Commons.
- 2026-10-24San Juan River Flooding Continues: Shiprock Bridge Closed Early Oct. 24 as Rescues Ran OvernightThis story
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