Los Angeles County firefighters were preparing Sunday to travel to Colorado to help with search-and-rescue efforts in the flood-devastated state.
Two firefighters have flown into the Rocky Mountain state to set up an alert system that would allow for a quick response from a task force based in Pacoima, Calif.
Capt. Andrew Olvera said the search-and-rescue task force needs only a two-hour notice to pack their bags and go. They expected to be called in early Monday.
Colorado has been hit by rainstorms of "biblical" proportions, according to the National Weather Service.
From mountain towns east to the plains city of Fort Morgan, numerous Colorado communities remained cut off by flooding as rain continued to fall through the weekend and rescuers continued to make treacherous journeys up canyon roads to reach isolated homes.
The surging waters have been deadly, with four people confirmed dead and two more missing and presumed dead after their homes were swept away.
State emergency officials say some 1,500 homes have been destroyed and about 17,500 have been damaged. In addition, 11,700 people have fled their homes, and a total of more than 1,200 people have not been heard from.
As many as 1,000 people in Larimer County have been waiting for rescuers to reach them, but airlifts were grounded Sunday because of the rain.
Hundreds more people are unaccounted for to the south in Boulder County and other flood-affected areas. And the town of Lyons has been almost completely abandoned.
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