New Mexico flooding leaves 3 dead as fast-moving water sweeps through mountain resort town

Just days after flash flooding devastated the Hill Country of Texas, killing more than 100, three people have died in New Mexico after monsoon rains triggered flash flooding. 

A man and two young children, a 4-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy, were swept away by floodwaters on Tuesday, the village of Ruidoso said in a statement. The situation was so severe in the popular summer retreat that an entire house was caught on camera being swept downstream.

“Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” Mayor Lynn Crawford said in a statement.

“The entire Village of Ruidoso extends our deepest sympathy and compassion to these grieving families during this unimaginably difficult time. We are united in our sorrow and our commitment to supporting one another as we face this devastating loss together.”

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The Rio Ruidoso rose to a record-breaking 20 feet, which is five feet higher than its previous record, the village said. 

The devastation is attributed to the torrential rainfall over burn scar areas from the South Fork and Salt fires that occurred last year.

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“Emergency crews conducted 50-60 swift-water rescues during the event,” a village of Ruidoso media release said.  

The water had receded by the evening and search and rescue were scouring the town for the missing people, while public works crews cleared debris from the roadways. Some cars were left stranded in the mud.

“Tonight, I signed an emergency declaration request to get federal response teams and repair resources on the ground immediately. We’re encouraged to learn that additional federal resources are already on the way,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said on Facebook.

“New Mexico is mobilizing every resource we have, but the Village of Ruidoso needs federal support to recover from this disaster. We’ve watched Texas receive the federal resources they desperately needed, and Ruidoso deserves that same urgent response,” she concluded. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.