Two women died in separate accidents Friday on the Gunnison River, bringing the death toll related to spring runoff to at least five people as Colorado waterways rage after a winter of deep snowfall.
A Colorado Springs woman, Roberta Sophia Rodriguez, is also missing in the South Fork of the Rio Grande. Authorities say she went into the furious waters in recent days and hasn’t been since.
Officials have been warning people planning to recreate on Colorado’s rivers and creeks to be extremely cautious. Forecasters have cautioned that peak runoff could continue into next month.
Even more snow fell in the high country on Friday and Saturday, prolonging the runoff.
The first woman to die on the Gunnison River on Friday was apparently paddle boarding when she fell into swift currents near County Road 32, just west of Gunnison.
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