Property loss from Colorado flooding estimated at $2 billion

UPDATE,  Sept. 19: Reuters reports that "property losses from deadly flooding in Colorado will total nearly $2 billion, about half from housing and half from the commercial and government sectors," according to catastrophe modeling firm Eqecat. Read the story.

Sept. 18: A rain-free day on Tuesday allowed emergency crews to bring help to stranded people and helicopters to ferry the willing to safety. Read coverage in the Denver Post, Boulder Daily Camera and Longmont Times-Call.

Sept. 17: The death toll reaches 8 as improved weather allows rescue crews to ramp up efforts with helicopters to bring those stranded in remote parts of Boulder and Larimer counties to safety. Read the Denver Post story.

Meanwhile, Colorado's richest oil field — the Denver-Julesburg Basin — is buried in floodwaters, raising operational and environmental concerns. Read more.

Sept. 16: The unrelenting rain for much of the past week along Colorado's Front Range has left a devastating mark: 6 deaths, 1,502 homes destroyed, 17,000 homes damaged, 11,700 people ordered evacuated and more than 1,200 still unaccounted for as of Monday (Sept. 16), according to The Denver Post.

The forecast for the week ahead shows clearing skies, but rain is expected to continue Monday afternoon. And for many people, better weather can't reverse the enormous losses suffered from Colorado Springs north to Boulder, Longmont, Greeley, Lyons and hard-hit Jamestown.

More than 2,000 people and 500 pets have been evacuated from flood-damaged areas, including several people spotted from a helicopter on Saturday that included Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (Read the story) while on the way to a media briefing.

On Monday (9/16) U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Colorado and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. Read more.

To keep up with ongoing developments, follow coverage from The Denver Post, as well as updates in the Boulder Daily Camera and reporting in the Longmont Times-Call.

If you would like to assist victims of the flood, visit this page to select from a variety of ways to help.

If you have suffered flood losses, apply for assistance by calling (800) 621-FEMA or visiting this website. 

Flooding from this weather pattern also has been an issue in New Mexico. Gov. Susana Martinez toured flooding in Las Vegas, N.M., during the past weekend. Read more.

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