'Epic Deluge' Ravages Colorado

An "epic deluge" continues to wreak havoc on Colorado for a third day.

An "epic deluge" continues to wreak havoc on Colorado for a third day.

Record rainfall caused massive flooding, which the United States Geological Survey called a "100-year event," forced the evacuation of thousands from the Boulder area, and killed at least three people.

"It's really something here. I tell you, I've never seen rain like this. It's endless," Boulder resident Lauren Sundstrom told Reuters.

The New York Timesreports that

The flooding has cut off major highways in the state, isolated mountain towns and closed the main campus of the University of Colorado. On Thursday, homes, bridges and small dams built along the mountains that bisect the state collapsed, succumbing to rushing floodwaters and record levels of rainfall.

Mudslides swept down hillsides left treeless by recent wildfires. Firefighters made dozens of rescues as cars were overtaken by rain-swollen creeks and roads suddenly gave way.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper called the floods "life threatening," and told KBCO radio, "Given the drought situation we've had, it was almost a year's worth of rain."

CNBC has video:

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Twitter users have been uploading pictures showing the raging floodwaters' impacts:

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