At least 200 homes damaged in New Mexico flooding that killed 3 people, officials say
The village of Ruidoso, located in south-central New Mexico, was continuing recovery and clean-up efforts after heavy rains from slow-moving storms overwhelmed the Rio Ruidoso on July 8. The sudden flooding trapped dozens of people in homes, vehicles, and trees, and caused widespread damage.
A man and two young children, who had been camping at an RV park, were swept downstream and later found dead, according to local authorities. One person remained unaccounted for as of July 10, said Lincoln County Emergency Manager Eric Holt.
Local authorities reported that between 200 and 400 homes were damaged in the flooding, and about 65 swift water rescues were conducted.
New Mexico officials, including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, surveyed the area on July 10. The governor noted that the state received partial approval for a federal emergency declaration, which will provide immediate assistance for search and rescue teams and incident management.
Lujan Grisham said at a news conference that the federal government plans to provide financial assistance, including $3 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and $12 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to help communities rebuild.
"This federal declaration is a critical first step, but it's not everything Ruidoso needs and deserves," Lujan Grisham said. "We will continue working with the federal government for every dollar and resource necessary to help this resilient community fully recover from these devastating floods."
State and local officials also warned that more rain was expected in the region and that residents should remain at risk. Ruidoso is susceptible to mudslides and increased runoff following two large fires that scorched swathes of land, known as "burn scars," in 2024.
"Over the coming days, we are expecting additional rain. There are homes and people that will be in harm's way," said U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, whose district includes Ruidoso and surrounding Lincoln County. "We cannot lose another life. So, it's really important over the coming days that everyone follow those emergency orders."
Ruidoso, a popular summer retreat as well as ski resort nestled in the Sierra Blanca mountain range, is located about 180 miles southeast of Albuquerque, the state's largest city.
Texas floods: Deaths rise to 120; search for missing enters seventh day.
Family recounts parents' efforts to save children
The family of the two children who died in the flooding recounted in a GoFundMe page the horrific moment floodwaters swept the young siblings away and the desperate attempt by their parents to save their lives.
Charlotte and Sebastian Trotter, 4 and 7 years old, were found dead on July 8 after flash flooding swept across Ruidoso and into Riverview RV Park. The children and their parents, Sebastian and Stephanie Trotter, had arrived just two days prior for a camping trip from El Paso, Texas.
"On July 8th, what was supposed to be a carefree family vacation in Ruidoso, New Mexico, turned into a nightmare no one could have imagined," wrote Hank Wyatt, the children's uncle, on the GoFundMe page.
Wyatt described a typical day ahead of the flash flooding, which included exploring the village, shopping, playing soccer, and pizza for lunch. The family was packing up the RV when flooding hit, he said.
"They received no warning or alerts on their phone when suddenly water began to flood the campsite at a rapid pace," Wyatt wrote. "The RV began to fill up with water before they could even step out of the door. Their efforts to escape the RV and seek refuge failed. As the water got more and more violent, the RV was nearly half way filled with water when the wall of the RV cracked in half and the mother and kids were sucked into the water."
The children's father dove into the water to save their daughter, according to Wyatt, as Stephanie Trotter and her son climbed up a tree. Charlotte continued down the river until trees and debris hit and separated them. Stephanie then started drowning until she was rescued, Wyatt said.
Ruidoso, NM flooding: Children cling to ceiling fan as flooding destroys RV park, family home
Why the 2024 wildfires made Ruidoso vulnerable to catastrophic flooding
Recovering from the fires that ravaged Ruidoso in 2024 was going to be a long process, but little did anyone know that it laid the groundwork for the deadly flooding on July 8.
During the worst of the deluge, the Rio Ruidoso crested at 20 feet, five feet higher than any previous weather event. The wall of water left little in its wake. Still, meteorologist Jason Grzywacz of the National Weather Service office in El Paso and Santa Teresa noted the conditions were primed for a flooding event.
"The main reason was the South Fork Fire last year that burned directly west of Ruidoso," Grzywacz said. "The soil wasn't able to absorb any of the rainfall, and it runs right down into Ruidoso. Normally, if you had that vegetation still there, it could absorb it. For the Ruidoso monsoon season, it was above average rain but not record rainfall."
The village of Ruidoso is no stranger to the rains of the monsoon season, with it recently experiencing days of half an inch to an inch of precipitation, Grzywacz added. When a busy wildfire season occurs on level terrain, he explained, there is a lower chance of flooding. In this case, the fire consumed west of the village towards Sierra Blanca peak, making a natural pathway for any flow of precipitation.
"That's where the rain started and the storm slowly built, and your drainages go to a town," Grzywacz said. "If the fire had been 10 miles north, then you probably wouldn't have heard anything about it. But it just happened that where that fire burned it was close to Ruidoso. When there's ample moisture in the atmosphere, there's always a threat of some flooding in the mountains like that."
Contributing: Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY; Reuters
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