Flash Flood — Larimer, Colorado

1997-07-28 · near Ft Collins, Larimer, Colorado

Event narrative

A flash flood killed 5 women and injured 40 others when a 10-15 foot wall of water surged through 2 mobile home parks. Over 8 inches of rainfall was measured in southwest Fort Collins during the evening hours as a series of storms developed, dumping heavy rain over the same area. The disaster occurred when debris apparently blocked a culvert beneath the railroad tracks adjacent to the park which flowed into Spring Creek. The normally small creek became a torrent when the dammed water jumped the railroad tracks. The highwater also derailed 4 railroad cars, compounding the catastrophe. The wall of water swept through the mobile home park destroying 108 homes and damaging 481 others, 86 severely. Four women were killed while attempting to evacuate there homes and flee the floodwaters. Another died when she tried to go back into the park to rescue her pets. Torrential rainfall caused extensive flooding at the Colorado State University campus. The library was hardest hit as 500,000 books were damaged, nearly half beyond repair. Highwaters from the surrounding area filled the basement with 10 feet of water, destroying the medical archives. Total damage estimates throughout the Fort Collins area were approximately $190 million. A breakdown of the estimated damages included; $125-$135 million to the CSU campus, $50 million to homes, primarily mobile homes, $2.5 million to city roads, businesses and public buildings, and $2.0 million in automobile claims.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5607373. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.