Floodwaters left Richard Monroe's family cut off in Tolani Lake, Arizona, for more than a week. Opening a route out took the family three days, mostly by hand.
Heavy rain returned on November 1, a day after the family's October 31 escape.
Here's what to know
The November 1 storms that again flooded Navajo and Hopi communities led to school closures and travel warnings. The earlier October 21-23 flooding had destroyed the culvert linking the family's road, N6720, to the main road, according to Navajo-Hopi Observer.
The Little Colorado River gauge at Winslow measured 24.81 feet by Monday morning, nearly 6 feet past flood stage, and forecasters cautioned flash flooding in the area could turn deadly. Once the river climbs to 25 feet, it spills over a levee and triggers major flooding, per the Observer.
Meanwhile, crews in Flagstaff searched for a man who fell into fast-moving water, according to the Flagstaff Police Department.
"Residents should never walk, drive, or play in or near flowing water," police said.
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More background
In Tolani Lake, muddy runoff concealed craters and sinkholes along N6720, preventing residents from traveling and blocking supply deliveries, the Observer reported. Chapter Vice President Etheline Biakeddy said the area had not seen flooding this severe in more than four decades.
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Biakeddy said residents rescued a man from the floodwater on October 24. On October 26, another driver went past barriers at the same location and became stuck.
She warned that crossing the area was dangerous for pedestrians, horseback riders, and drivers.
Beyond the damaged roads, responders faced another obstacle: locating households that needed help.
Angela Cody, District 4 director for Coconino County Supervisor Judy Begay, described the problem during an October 27 chapter meeting.
"We did not have phone numbers, and we didn't know who all lived there," Cody said.
What can be done?
The Navajo Nation's emergency management department advised every household to prepare a 72-hour supply kit, per the Observer.
The recommended kit includes prescription medicines, flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener, shelf-stable food, a charged phone, and 1 gallon of water per person per day. IDs, Social Security cards, and insurance papers should stay in a waterproof bag.
Cody also urged chapters to collect emergency contacts and encouraged families to document flood damage through their chapter. Chapters can request Community Emergency Response Team training from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office by writing to their county supervisor.
Health workers from the Navajo Nation's Community Health Representative Program urged families to include livestock and pets in their emergency plans and store non-drinking water for washing, according to the Navajo-Hopi Observer.
Community health worker Charmane Mitchell, whose team was heading to Shiprock to help flood evacuees, left the Tolani Lake meeting with one last safety reminder for families.
"Don't wait to the last minute," she said. "Check on your families, be safe out there."
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Where can I learn more?
Other communities have faced dangerous road conditions and lengthy recoveries after flooding.
• Arizona flash flooding triggered three rescues within 30 minutes, including a driver swept into a wash.
• In Arizona, an 88-year-old driver and dog were rescued from monsoon mud after an SOS text.
• In Indiana, survivors awaited emergency aid after record flooding that killed seven people.
• Florida families facing three floods in six years said repairs would displace them for a year.
• A veteran responder called Texas Hill Country flood damage among the worst she'd seen.
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