Flooding in Navajo Nation and Bluff causes widespread damage

Severe flooding from the San Juan River has caused significant damage across the Navajo Nation and the community of Bluff, New Mexico. Officials report that approximately 500 homes have been damaged, leading to 200 evacuations and leaving more than 150 people in shelters.

In Bluff and Atcitty Camp, residents and business owners face the loss of homes, tools, and livestock supplies. Cleanup efforts are complicated by environmental hazards, as San Juan Public Health reports E. coli levels in the river near Bluff are approximately 25 times higher than typical levels. This contamination follows the breaching of Navajo Nation wastewater lagoons upstream, including one in Montezuma Creek.

Local businesses and individuals are coordinating relief efforts. In Shiprock, The Mod has become a hub for receiving and distributing donations to families facing shortages of basic necessities, such as running water. Support has also arrived from outside the state, including donations from individuals in Texas.