Flash Flood Closes Roads, Damages Homes

Highway 24 west of Manitou Springs and other area roads shut down temporarily yesterday as rain hit the Waldo Canyon Burn Scar, sending debris onto the route and flooding Fountain Creek. Authorities say around 20 homes were damaged, 6-8 of them significantly. Meteorologist John Kalina with the National Weather Service in Pueblo says the storm dropped about .6 of an inch of rain in about 15 minutes.

“These cells were moving quickly from the north to the south at around 30 mph or even a little quicker than that, and they did develop rather quickly.”

The flooding also prompted the evacuation of a nearby mobile home and RV Park. Kalina says the latest forecast for the summer shows precipitation levels near average. He says residents should be alert when storms approach and to be prepared to take quick action if necessary. No injuries have been reported.