The alpine village was still recuperating from last year’s wildfires when flash floods came, causing even more devastation to the area.

Heavy rains on Tuesday, June 8 caused devastating flash floods and extensive damage in the town of Ruidoso, New Mexico. Online videos and images demonstrated the depth of the damage, with the rising waters having a significant impact on homes and businesses.

During a monsoon storm, the town saw heavy flooding, resulting in homes being damaged or washed away by the floodwaters. The confusion was further exacerbated by reports of gas leaks and mudslides.

More than two dozen swift-water rescues had occurred, according to Mayor Lynn Crawford, and several bridges were submerged. As search teams resumed their work, three people were still unaccounted for.

Seasonal monsoon storms, which occur from late June to early September and can bring with them unexpected downpours and swift-moving flash floods, were implicated in the flooding.

Crawford called Tuesday’s incident one of the worst he had ever witnessed, adding to what he described as a disastrous period for the area. “Last year we had a bad one or two, but this one was right there with it,” he said.

There were reports of animals and people being ki**ed in the flooding, as well as several persons being hospitalised, and some 30 swift-water rescues had been completed.

Three fatalities were formally reported by the Village of Ruidoso. The victims were carried downstream by the record-breaking floodwaters and included a seven-year-old boy, a four-year-old girl, and a guy who was thought to be between forty and fifty years old.

On social media, community members have posted further losses in addition to the official dead toll. They included Tiffanie Wyatt, who subsequently confirmed that both of her niece and nephew had perished in the flood while she was looking for them.

Five-year-old Charlotte and seven-year-old Sebastian Trotter, who were last seen at Midtown RV Park, had also not survived, according to Darnell Benally, another neighbour.

Crawford expressed condolences to the affected families, emphasizing, “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.”

As the community moves through this time of grief, officials have requested for privacy on behalf of the bereaved families and encouraged anyone who are in secure, dry areas to stay there because the situation is still dangerous. Residents who were unable to contact their loved ones were also instructed by the community to report missing persons to the emergency operations centre.

As the investigation into the flooding fatalities continues, the Village of Ruidoso is coordinating with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, and other organisations.

The Ruidoso Community Centre, located at 501 Sudderth Drive, is open as a makeshift refuge for anyone affected by the tragedy, and search and rescue operations are still underway. As further information becomes available, it will be shared.

Online footage that have been verified showed the extent of the flood destruction, including roads that were flooded and a house that was washed down the Rio Ruidoso before colliding with trees. The river was small enough to cross on foot prior to the storm, but the abrupt rise made it a perilous stream.

The Rio Ruidoso seemed to have crested at a record 20 feet on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. After almost an inch of rain poured on the b.urn scars from last year’s wildfires, which burned hundreds of houses and claimed two lives, a flash flood emergency was declared.

The South Fork Fire, one of the most destructive fires, started on June 17, 2024, and burned more than 17,000 acres. Crawford claims that because of the fire’s extreme intensity, the earth became hydrophobic and unable to absorb water, increasing the likelihood of catastrophic floods.

The town had already experienced flooding last year in the aftermath of the wildfires. However, Crawford noted, “This one hit us harder than we were expecting.”

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico signed an emergency declaration request Tuesday night, requesting federal aid in response to the deteriorating situation.

She also wrote in a statement, “Ruidoso endured devastating wildfires and flooding last summer, and now catastrophic flooding is hitting this resilient community again. This crisis demands immediate action.”

Due to its rugged terrain and the presence of burn scars from recent fires, Ruidoso, a town of 7,600 people located 180 miles southeast of Albuquerque in the Sierra Blanca mountain range, is still particularly susceptible to flash flooding.

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