Three dead after flooding inundates Navajo Nation in New Mexico

Indigenous authorities in the United States reported three deaths after floodwaters swept people away near Newcomb in northwestern New Mexico. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said police responded to reports of people being carried off by floodwater at about 12:30am local time on Wednesday, and confirmed that two adults and a child were killed. Nygren offered condolences to the bereaved and urged residents to remain cautious in areas affected by heavy rainfall. He said the community was grieving the sudden loss and called for strength and support for the families and relatives of the victims. The National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued a special briefing warning of widespread thunderstorms and said moisture levels were expected to be at record levels for mid-September. A Flash Flood Watch was put in effect for the western third of New Mexico, and forecasters noted that flash flooding could occur anywhere in central and northern parts of the state. Flash flood warnings were active for sections of northwestern New Mexico, while large areas of central and northern Arizona were under flash flood watches. Forecasters predicted heavy rain across parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah through Thursday. The New Mexico fatalities come weeks after a separate flash-flooding incident in Arizona in which three hikers were swept away at the Grand Canyon and dozens were rescued, underscoring the broader region-wide hazards from intense, short-duration rainfall this season.