Over the past few days, a 4,500-square-mile area across Colorado's Front Range has been hit by devastating floods, leaving at least six dead, forcing thousands to evacuate, and destroying thousands of homes and farms. Record amounts of rainfall generated flash floods that tore up roads and lines of communication, leaving many stranded, and hundreds still listed as missing. Evacuations are still underway as weather conditions have improved slightly. Forecasters predict drier weather by mid-week. Gathered here are recent images of the devastation in Colorado.
Historic Flooding Across Colorado
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A tractor sits partially submerged in a field after flooding along the South Platte River in Weld County, Colorado near Greeley, on September 14, 2013. A days-long rush of water from higher ground turned parts of Colorado's expansive eastern plains into muddy swamps. #
AP Photo/John Wark -
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A raging waterfall destroys a bridge along Highway 34 toward Estes Park, Colorado, as flooding devastates the Front Range and thousands were forced to evacuate, on September 13, 2013. #
AP Photo/Colorado Heli-Ops, Dennis Pierce -
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A field of parked cars and trucks sits partially submerged near Greeley, Colorado, on September 14, 2013, as debris-filled rivers flooded into towns and farms miles from the Rockies. #
AP Photo/John Wark -
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Residents and children from Cal-Wood Education Center in Jamestown, Colorado await a rescue helicopter flown by the U.S. Air National Guard after severe flooding shut down major roads leading out of town in this September 14, 2013 photo. #
Reuters/U.S. Air National Guard/Staff Sgt. Nicole Manzanares -
A couple on an ATV turn around at the edge of a flooded road in La Salle, Colorado, on September 14, 2013. The Sanchez family has lived there for 11 years and said they've never seen anything even close to this level of flooding in the area. #
Marc Piscotty/Getty Images -
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Cars lay mired in mud deposited by floods in Lyons, Colorado, on September 13, 2013. Days of heavy rains and flash floods which washed out the town's bridges and destroyed the electrical and sanitation infrastructure have left many Lyons residents stranded with minimal access to help, and sectioned off the town into several pieces not reachable from each other. #
AP Photo/Brennan Linsley -
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Don DeGraff and his niece Julie DeGraff, both of La Salle, Colorado, carry valuable items out of their home, on September 14, 2013. Don said he already plans to rebuild adding, "we built it from nothing and we'll do it again." #
Marc Piscotty/Getty Images -
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A group of trailers are smashed together at a storage site near Greeley, Colorado, on September 14, 2013, as debris-filled rivers flooded into towns and farms miles from the Rockies. #
AP Photo/John Wark -
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Members of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and a resident relax on Main Street in Jamestown, Colorado, after a flash flood destroyed much of the town, on September 14, 2013. #
Reuters/Rick Wilking -
Dakota Walters shovels mud and debris at her aunt and uncle's home on Qualla Drive after their basement was flooded with 8-feet of water in Boulder, Colorado, on September 14, 2013. #
Reuters/Mark Leffingwell -
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Allison Wold of Denver, Colorado and her nephew, Jack Wold, look at a flooded ranch home with John Brinckerhoff, also of Denver, after heavy flooding near Dearfield, Colorado, on September 14, 2013. They were trying to cross County Road 87 to get to some family property but couldn't because of the flooding. #
Marc Piscotty/Getty Images
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