Flash flooding prompts evacuations in Manitou Springs

El Paso County officials warned residents of about 450 homes in the low-lying Ute Pass area to leave immediately Monday afternoon, and the Red Cross has opened a shelter for evacuees.

A funnel cloud was spotted in the area earlier in the day, and residents along Fountain Creek are being warned of the possibility of more flooding.

Dan Steever, the publisher of the Colorado Springs Gazette, drove down U.S. Highway 24 through Ute Pass and reported a debris field of rocks and trees about a quarter mile long. He says “you can’t even tell you’re on a highway,” and Fountain Creek is overflowing its banks.

Another round of rain and hail is expected Monday night.