Flood Closed Town Of Clifton For Several Hours On Sunday

The small, southeast Arizona town of Clifton was a town divided, literally, Sunday morning.

The rivers surrounding the community were overflowing and Town Clerk Esperanza Castaneda says they had to close the floodgates, dividing the town.

“The river runs right through the middle of town, so that was the answer to try to protect a portion of it,” Castaneda said. “And so far, it has held, it has worked.”

The river crested at 23 to 24 feet Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. It fell Sunday afternoon.

An RV park along the river had to be evacuated Sunday, along with residents in low-lying areas. Heavy rains in neighboring New Mexico and eastern Arizona have increased runoff to the area's rivers and streams.