by Tuesday afternoon’s devastating flash flooding in southern New Mexico was caused by heavy rain, which swept homes away and forced road closures and water rescues, according to officials.
The region surrounding the village of Ruidoso, which was devastated by wildfires the previous year, was placed under a flash flood emergency by the National Weather Service.
Kerry Gladden, a spokesman for the village of Ruidoso, stated late Tuesday afternoon that there were no early reports of fatalities. According to her, two persons were hospitalized after suffering injuries.
People stranded in their homes and those in quickly flowing water were rescued by emergency personnel. The number of rescues that had taken place was unknown, she said.
In RUIDOSO, a DANGEROUS situation is developing! On social media, the National Weather Service posted a message.There is still a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY! NOW GO FOR HIGHER GROUND! Driving through floodwaters is not something you should do. Your car will be carried away by the current!
According to Ms. Gladden, it was not immediately apparent how much harm had been done. According to her, among of the most severely affected sites were those along the Rio Ruidoso that extended into Glencoe and Ruidoso Downs.
The region where the South Fork fire tore through last year has seen more than 2.5 inches of rain, according to Jennifer Shoemake, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.
The Rio Ruidoso at one of the gauges at Ruidoso, New Mexico, climbed from roughly one and a half feet at 3 p.m. local time to more than 20 feet less than an hour later, according to preliminary data from a flood sensor run by the US Geological Survey. Soon later, the height started to decline once more.
There were a few water rescues in progress on Tuesday, according to Michael Scales, spokesperson for the Lincoln County office of emergency services, but he did not elaborate.
“All hands on deck,” he declared.
Our neighborhood is presently experiencing seasonal monsoon rains, which have caused flash floods in certain regions, according to a social media post from Ruidoso’s tourism office.
Beginning on June 17, 2024, the South Fork fire destroyed 17,066 acres. Authorities concluded that the fire was started by lightning.
The story is still evolving.
