Associated Press - May 26, 2009 10:15 AM ET

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) - The Navajo Nation's San Juan Chapter has declared an emergency because of flooding caused by heavy weekend rain.

Chapter manager Stanley Wauneka said the state of emergency, declared Sunday, is the first in the history of the northwestern New Mexico chapter.

He says it needs heavy equipment to fix the roads, which are filled with mud and standing water.

Heavy rains Saturday caused mud to slide from hills into the irrigation canal along Navajo Route 362.

The canel, which supplies water to farms in the Upper Fruitland, San Juan and Nenahnezad chapters, was clogged with mud, and water spilled onto roads, farmland, yards and homes.

Chapter president Rick Nez says flooding was worse Sunday, and described traveling as like driving through pudding.

Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.com

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