At least three people died in flash floods in New Mexico
At least three people have been killed in Ruidoso, New Mexico after heavy rain caused flash floods.
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At least three people, including two children, have been killed after heavy rains were caused in New Mexico on Tuesday, July 8th, urging the state governor to declare a state of emergency in the area.
The village of Ruidoso, a mountain town about 180 miles southeast of Albuquerque, confirmed his death in a statement on July 8, adding that all three were “engaged in a rushing flood and transported downstream.”
The deaths include one middle-aged man and two children, according to the statement. A 4-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy.
Ruidoso Major: “A terrible tragedy”
“Our hearts are broken for the family who lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” Mayor Ruidoso Lynn Crawford said in a statement. “The entire village of Ruidoso extends our deepest sympathy and compassion for these families of sadness during this unimaginable, difficult time. We are united in our grief and our commitment to supporting each other when we face this devastating loss.”
The floods locked people in their homes and encouraged multiple water rescues in Ruidoso. The town is sensitive to increased landslides and runoff following two major fires in 2024 that burned a strip of land known as “burn scars.”
Speaking to a local radio station, Crawford said there have been multiple reports of landslides and gas leaks in households that were damaged or swept by floods. Several bridges in the area were also damaged or underwater, according to the mayor.
Video shows flash floods in New Mexico
A fierce flash flood wipes out a home in New Mexico
The heavy flash floods in New Mexico from the slow moving storm system prompted water rescue in Ruidoso.
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued a Ruidoso flash flood emergency at around 3pm local time on July 8th. Neighborhoods in Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs Racecourse and Hollywood remained under flash flood warnings until 7:15pm, according to the Weather Service.
“A dangerous situation is unfolding in Ruidoso! Flash flood emergency continues to work! Look for highlands now! Don’t try to drive floods. Electric current will carry your car away!” The weather service wrote on social media.
In forecast, there are more flood clocks
Another flood monitoring of flash floods was issued for the Ruidoso area on Wednesday morning, July 9th, the Meteorological Bureau said.
The model depicts moving “rich Gulf moisture” to the slopes and regenerating storms over burns in the afternoon and July evenings
“The rainy rain (July 9) will rapidly convert into runoff as it is already saturated from the three-day heavy rains of scars and the flash floods that occurred Tuesday through Tuesday,” the Weather Service said. “The high water content has helped me get back from the area heading over the weekend towards next week, boosting my confidence in New Mexico’s widespread thunderstorm.”
On July 8th, the highest measured rainfall in the area was 3.29 inches southwest of the nearby South Forkburn scars. Generally speaking, South Fork burns caused 1.5-3.5 inches of rain, dropping up to 1.5 inches in the village of Ruidoso.
-Dinah Voyles Purver
Floods have killed more than 100 people in Texas, and at least four people in North Carolina
Death and Destruction in New Mexico Adds a week of catastrophic floods in the US
More than 160 missing people continued searches in Kerr County, Texas, killed more than 100 people, and on July 4th he was born into the state’s flash flood. In addition to volunteering, deaths have steadily risen through debris during the search and rescue team.
The final “Live Rescue” was made on Friday, July 4th, with Jonathan Rum taking place at the Kerrville Police Station, and over time the chances of finding survivors may decrease.
The deaths from the floods of at least 27 were children and counselors at Camp Mystic, a Christian camp of beloved girls sitting along the Guadalupe River. It was flooded with almost action time during early Friday morning hours, along with homes and campsites in the area. There are still five missing campers and one counselor from the camp, officials said.
The Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network, also reported on July 7 that tropical storm Chantal caused more than 10 inches of rain to parts of central North Carolina last weekend, causing flooding and damage. Raleigh News & Observer reported that at least four people have died as a result of the flood.
Contributors: Natasia Paloma, Anthony Robredo, Tao & Jason Groves, USA Today-Network
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter for USA Today. You can follow him with X @geuna Alternatively, email him at gdhauari@gannett.com.
