It was one of the deadliest disasters in Colorado history: Fifty years ago, a flash flood swept through Big Thompson Canyon between Estes Park and Loveland. It killed at least 144 people on July 31, 1976.
A torrential rainstorm that formed suddenly unleashed more than a foot of rain on the area that evening. Emergency crews rushed to warn people. Many residents and tourists hurried to safety. But many others were caught off guard.
That disaster changed how emergency responders operate in Colorado. It helped underline the need for better emergency alert systems. And lessons from that event still come into play when a disaster strikes Colorado today…