A small town in New Mexico has been hit with a terrifying flash flood, with social media videos showing water gushing through previously tranquil streets and neighborhoods.
Ruidoso, a town of about 7,000 people, has seen roughly an inch to three-and-a-half inches of rainfall, according to the National Weather Service.
Multiple rescue efforts are underway, with a father and his two children getting washed away in flood waters, according to the latest NWS bulletin.
One person who was trapped in the overflowing waters of Rio Ruidoso was rescued, while an elderly woman was reported to be stuck in her home and in need of assistance.
A video posted by Ruidoso resident Kaitlyn Carpenter shows the flood easily carrying away an entire home.
No deaths have been reported, according to Kerry Gladden, a spokeswoman for the village of Ruidoso.
Gladden confirmed that two people have been injured and were sent to the hospital.
Officials said the areas impacted include Upper Canyon, Brady Canyon, Perk Canyon, Cedar Creek, Eagle Creek and Rio Ruidoso drainages. Locals are being told to climb to higher elevation areas to avoid being swept away by rising water.
Ruidoso resident Kaitlyn Carpenter filmed the flood carrying away a house as it tore through a street in Ruidoso, a small town in New Mexico
Ruidoso, a town of about 7,000 people, has seen roughly an inch to three-and-a-half inches of rainfall, according to the National Weather Service
A local restaurant called La Salsa Kitchen posted what the outside of their business looked like in the ongoing flood
The flash flood warning had been set to expire at 5:15pm local time, but the NWS extended it to 7:15pm
The Ruidoso Community Center, the Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso campus and Angus Church of the Nazarene are all places residents can seek shelter as the floods continue, KOAT reported.
The flash flood warning had been set to expire at 5:15pm local time, but the NWS extended it to 7:15pm.
Several roadways that were completely flooded were closed by officials to prevent people from driving into dangerous situations.
Those roads included White Mountain Drive, Paradise Canyon Drive, and Sudderth Drive at the intersections of Robin, Carrizo, and Hickory.
As of 4pm local time, the riverbed of Rio Ruidoso was described to be in a ‘major flood stage,’ according to NWS Albuquerque.
Accompanying images from the US Geological Survey showed the river rising 15 feet in about an hour.
The Tuesday disaster in New Mexico comes just days after Texas experienced one of its worst flash floods in history, a tragedy that took the lives of dozens of young girls from a summer camp along the Guadalupe River.
So far, the death toll across six Texas counties has climbed to 111, while at least 173 people are still missing, according to authorities.
Pictured: Destruction shown in Hunt, Texas, after the Guadalupe River overflowed and flooded starting on Friday
A 3pm photo shared by NWS Albuquerque shows Rio Ruidoso in New Mexico at a relatively normal depth
Just an hour later at 4pm, the water levels rose by 15 feet, triggering officials to warn residents to seek higher ground
The devastating flash flood in Ruidoso can partially be attributed burn scars from the June 2024 South Fork Fire (pictured)
Governor Greg Abbott said first responders will not stop until ‘every person’ is accounted for. He added that there will likely be more people found dead.
The devastating flash flood in Ruidoso can partially be attributed burn scars from the June 2024 South Fork Fire.
Wildfire burn scars are a known risk factor in creating deadlier flash foods due to a loss of vegetation and soil that can typically absorb more rainfall.
‘Steep terrain combined with a severe burn scar and light precipitation can result in flash flooding within minutes of precipitation beginning,’ according to the NWS.
The South Fork Fire burned 17,066 acres of land and significantly impacted the Lincoln National Forest.
The elevated rain on Tuesday fell directly onto the burn scar in the Lincoln National Forest, creating much of the runoff that had devastated this area of south-central New Mexico.
The level of damage in Ruidoso and the areas surrounding it remains unclear as of Tuesday evening.
