More rain may hamper Colorado rescue efforts

The search for people stranded from the Rocky Mountain foothills to the plains of northeastern Colorado grew more difficult Sunday, with a new wave of rain hampering airlifts from the flooded areas still out of reach, AP reported. From the mountain communities east to the plains city of Fort Morgan, numerous pockets of individuals remained cut off by the flooding. With rain impacting helicopter searches, rescuers trekked by ground up dangerous canyon roads to reach some of those homes isolated since Wednesday. More than 1,750 people and 300 pets have already been rescued from communities and individual homes swamped by overflowing rivers and streams. The surging waters have been deadly, with four people confirmed dead and two more missing and presumed dead after their homes were swept away. Hundreds of people have still not been heard from, but with phone service being restored to some of the areas over the weekend, officials hoped that number would drop as they contacted more stranded people. The additional rain falling on ground that has been saturated by water since Wednesday created the risk of more flash flooding and mud slides, according to the National Weather Service. Days of rain and floods have transformed the outdoorsy mountain communities in Colorado's Rocky Mountain foothills from a paradise for backpackers and nature lovers into a disaster area with little in the way of supplies or services. Roadways have crumbled, scenic bridges are destroyed, and most shops are closed. In Lyons, the cars that normally clog main street have been replaced by military supply trucks. Restaurateurs and grocers in Lyons were distributing food to their neighbors as others arrived in groups carrying supplies. In Estes Park, some 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Lyons, hundreds of homes and cabins were empty in the town that is a gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. High water still covered several low-lying streets. Where the river had receded, it had left behind up to a foot (30 centimeters) of mud. Estes Park town administrator Frank Lancaster said it could be a month or more before things get back to some semblance of normal, and he advised visitors who would normally flock there during the golden September days to stay away.