Gov. Jared Polis extends and expands disaster emergency for Colorado counties impacted by severe weather
It's been a stormy summer for some parts of Colorado.
Storms have caused tornadoes and flooding in Douglas, Arapahoe, El Paso, Elbert, Lincoln, Washington, Cheyenne, Kit Carson and Logan counties.
All of that severe weather has taken a toll on infrastructure and property in those areas.
"We've definitely seen above-average rainfall for our area," said Arapahoe County Deputy Director of Emergency Management Ashley Cappel in an interview with CBS News Colorado in June.
"We've had in Arapahoe County, several road closures. There have been about three sinkholes throughout the breadth of the county that includes our incorporated cities as well as unincorporated areas. Several of the flash floods that have come through have led to flooded roadways," she said.
That's why Gov. Jared Polis has extended a declared a disaster emergency to include Arapahoe County and four others. It started in El Paso, Elbert, Lincoln and Washington counties, but after further assessments with FEMA, he extended and expanded it to include Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Douglas, Kit Carson, and Logan counties.
"The ground is really saturated. And anytime we're getting additional rainfall, it makes it difficult for our infrastructure to keep up with that amount of rainfall," said Cappel.
Cappel said rain like this hasn't been seen in decades and while the toll it's taken on infrastructure in the county has been tough, protecting life is more important than property.
She reminds everyone to have a plan in case of severe weather and pay attention to local watches and warnings: "Stay prepared, stay alert and stay safe."
