CSC Students affected by Colorado floods share details

While the list of people missing in Colorado lowers daily, rescues for those stranded are becoming easier to complete, but the cost of damage continues to increase.

Around the Rocky Mountains in Colorado the last tragedy citizens thought to prepare for was flooding. Many have lost homes in the Lyons, Boulder, Longmont, Erie and surrounding areas.

Heavy rains last week began to make rivers swell, and, with no cease in downpours, the rivers swallowed everything in its path.

Many current and former students who live in Colorado are being affected by the flooding.

Dylan Banks, 18, freshman of Longmont, Colo., has affected family back home. The front yard was destroyed, but that was the only damage his family endured.

“Damage hasn’t been done to my family, but my grandma had an inch of flooding in her basement,” Banks said.

The river that overflowed and reached Banks’s house was 15 miles away.

“It over flowed into streets and the whole yard was covered,” Banks said. “The river is six feet wide originally.”

His family was evacuated for a day when flooding first began. Some people have been unaffected by flooding damage but are affected by the unsanitary water.

“Here in Sterling, [Colo.], we are under a ‘no flush’ rule (no toilets, showers, laundry, dishes, etc.) to manage waste water,” Elizabeth Brown, former CSC student and Sterling resident stated.

Roads around Sterling have frequently been open then closed due to the floodwaters.

Brown added, “There has been concern that we may lose power.”

Jayme Caro, 20, former CSC student from Thornton, Colo., currently lives in Greeley and says she is not as affected as homeowners are, but is also affected by the unsanitary water conditions.

“They have turned off our water due to the unsafe and unsanitary waters in the area,” Caro stated. “I have had to move to a different location for the time being so that the emergency crews can continue to clean up.”

Caro’s apartment is about three blocks from the main damage in the community. The Thornton community was on a mandatory evacuation while she was on a voluntary evacuation.

South Boulder, Colo., was not damaged by the Boulder Creek flood but by the Bear Creek flood.

Jacob Hockins, former CSC student and Boulder resident states the Bear Creek flood is what his apartment complex is being affected by.

“A few days ago, all roads in our area were closed or underwater and we were trapped in our building unless we wanted to wade through knee deep, fast moving water,” Hockins stated.

His roommate and he did not endure any damage but watched as floodwater took parts of the sidewalk.

“Several roads and sidewalks near us were damaged, most noticeably was a large slab of sidewalk [that] had been moved from one side of the street to the other,” Hockins stated.

Hockins added, relief efforts are concentrated in areas hit hardest, but in Boulder “most relief efforts are being handled by local authorities.”

Hockins stated some evacuees are being moved to extra space on the Colorado University campus. Basements are still flooded in Boulder and residents are looking for other accommodations due to the flood damage to homes.

Emergency crews consist of local and national authorities and volunteers from the communities.

“I know people who have been volunteering and my dad helped transport food,” Banks said.

Caro stated, “I do have a few friends that are volunteering with the emergency crews to help with the clean up.”

Clean up is underway while authorities continue to search for missing people. As water levels drop in Colorado, authorities are keeping an eye on where the water is headed. While it travels down rivers it may cause other flooding as it travels east into Nebraska and authorities warn citizens to be careful.