Big Thompson Canyon Flood Survivors Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Colorado's Deadliest Natural Disaster
On July 31, 2026, survivors and community members gathered at the Drake Firehouse in Larimer County, Colorado, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Big Thompson Canyon Flood. This catastrophic event, which occurred on July 31, 1976, claimed the lives of 144 people and left at least five missing. The flood was triggered by a severe rainstorm that stalled over the canyon, dropping nearly a foot of rain in a few hours. Survivors Connie Granath Hays and Terry Belair recounted their harrowing experience of escaping the floodwaters by abandoning their car and climbing to safety. The flood remains the deadliest flash flood in Colorado's history, with significant improvements in weather alert systems since then. 
