SAN JUAN COUNTY, Utah — Heavy rains and flash flooding caused big problems this week down on the Utah-Arizona border, with members of the Navajo nation in Monument Valley being hit especially hard.
There are multiple dirt roads in that area, and many turned to mud Wednesday after the rains hit. At one point a school bus got stuck and students had to be rescued by members of the local fire department.
Overall, it's been a difficult few days for people who live and work in Monument Valley.
Leandra Chee is a volunteer with the Monument Valley Fire Department and shared how the rains hit fast and furiously, which resulted in flash flooding.
“That’s how the school bus got stuck in the mud," Chee said of the floods, "and they had to rescue the kids one by one.”
According to Chee, the situation didn’t look much better when the sun came up Thursday, with several, local roads washed out, and in some cases, were impassable.
“People are not gonna get to work until maybe a week. So that’s the kind of limited resources we have here on the Navajo reservation," she said.
Although Tracie Yellowman Tso lives in Salt Lake City, she grew up not far from Monument Valley in San Juan County. She’s kept a close eye on what’s happening down in the area.
“Having accessible roads in our communities is pretty tough and also having the means to fix them and maintain them is really tough," Yellowman Tso said.
While road and infrastructure repairs are being made, Yellowman Tso and others throughout Utah are doing what they can to help.
“The need for clean water, having those essential items, and I think everyone can come together and support, not only here, but also down south where I’m from, communities just to help out," she pleaded.
