Flash floods are the leading cause of storm-related deaths in the U.S., with an average of 127 fatalities per year. (Credit: Francesco de Marco/Adobe Stock)
At least three people are dead after devastating flash flooding in the mountain community of Ruidoso, N.M., on Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service, heavy rain caused the Rio Ruidoso to swell from a couple of feet to a record 20.24 feet. The previous record was 15.86 feet, set last year.
Social media videos showed roads submerged in deep, fast-moving water, and one video showed an entire home being swept away.
Emergency services performed more than 50 rescues in fast-moving water on Tuesday, and search and rescue operations are ongoing. Multiple people are being treated at the local hospital.
Bridges were underwater, and there were multiple reports of mudslides and gas leaks in homes that had been damaged or swept away, according to the town’s mayor.
The three individuals who died “were caught in the rushing floodwaters and carried downstream,” according to a statement from local officials.
Ruidoso, about 180 miles south of Albuquerque, has a population of 7,600 people. Last summer, the area was devastated by the South Fork Fire, which burned more than 17,000 acres. The mountainous region was already prone to flash floods, and burn scars can make flooding worse.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an emergency declaration on Tuesday night requesting federal aid.
"Ruidoso endured devastating wildfires and flooding last summer, and now catastrophic flooding is hitting this resilient community again,” she said in a statement. “This crisis demands immediate action.”
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