Tornadoes Rip Through Southeastern Utah, Destroy Homes on Navajo Nation; No Injuries Reported
Two twisters touched down near Montezuma Creek Saturday afternoon, flattening at least three houses and leaving pets and livestock unaccounted for
Two tornadoes struck near Montezuma Creek in San Juan County, southeastern Utah, on Saturday afternoon, demolishing at least three homes on the Navajo Nation and leaving an unknown number of pets and livestock missing, officials said. Authorities reported no human injuries.
The National Weather Service office in Grand Junction, Colorado, said the first of the two tornadoes touched down around 12:35 p.m. and the pair occurred within roughly an hour. Meteorologist Kris Sanders said on Sunday that the tornado tracks likely covered less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) in total, but that exact tracks and wind speeds had not yet been determined. A damage survey by the weather service was expected to be conducted on Monday.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said in a social media post that three homes were demolished. The Navajo Police Department posted images showing a towering tornado column surrounded by dark clouds and at least one flattened home amid scattered debris. The department also said in a social media post that an unknown number of pets and livestock had not been located.
San Juan County, where the Navajo Nation extends across parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, is a sparsely populated area. The Navajo Nation spans roughly 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers), making it the largest Native American reservation in the United States.
Sanders noted that tornadoes are rare in that portion of Utah; the weather service had confirmed only two tornadoes in San Juan County since 1950. Officials said they would rely on the upcoming survey to establish the intensity and precise paths of the twisters, which will inform recovery and any potential relief measures.
Local authorities and tribal officials were coordinating the initial response, assessing damage and checking for displaced residents and animals. The Navajo Police Department and tribal emergency personnel had been using social media to request information about missing pets and livestock and to direct residents to safety resources as they became available.
Federal, state and tribal agencies typically collaborate following weather surveys to determine eligibility for federal assistance; authorities said that assessment and any subsequent requests for aid would follow completion of the weather service’s damage survey. Further updates were expected after crews completed on-site inspections and compiled damage estimates.