Mexico City: Videos show rushing waters on the streets of the south-central New Mexico village of Ruidoso on Wednesday (July 10). Monsoon thunderstorms on Wednesday dumped several inches of rain in just a few hours. The ‘burn scars’ areas from the South Fork and Salt wildfires left the ground unable to absorb the rain, causing torrents of muddy debris to flow through neighbourhoods.
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued a Flash Flood Emergency, leading to the evacuation of multiple areas including Cedar Creek, Upper Canyon, and Paradise Canyon. Residents, already distressed by recent wildfires, were forced to flee their homes once again, this time due to the overwhelming waters.
Officials in Ruidoso reported that several bridge crossings were closed as mud and debris-laden water could be seen rushing down creeks and across streets. “Please get to higher ground NOW!” the village announced on social media as the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency. A mobile home park was evacuated, and village officials reported multiple natural gas leaks caused by the floodwaters.
Mexico residents unable to enter their home
Residents posted videos of the roiling water, saying they were unable to get home because of the flooding. Police cars blocked traffic, and concrete barriers were in place along some roads as the strong current carried debris downstream. The National Weather Service in Albuquerque reported that there had been multiple water rescues and that the storms had produced up to 1.5 inches of rain. They warned that more rainfall was expected on Friday.
Forecasters also issued flood watches and warnings for other areas, including in northern New Mexico where many residents have yet to recover from the aftermath of a 2022 blaze that was sparked by a pair of government-planned fires that went awry. The weather service said some of the storms were capable of bringing as much as 2 inches of rain as well as hail and wind gusts of 60 mph (96 kph).
(With inputs from agencies)