Homes Swept Away Amid Flooding in New Mexico
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for the area around the village of Ruidoso, which was scarred by wildfires last year.
There were no immediate reports of deaths, Kerry Gladden, a spokeswoman for the village of Ruidoso, said on late Tuesday afternoon. She said that two people had been injured and were in the hospital.
Emergency responders rescued people from swiftly moving water and those trapped in their homes. She said it was unclear how many rescues there had been.
'A DANGEROUS situation is unfolding in RUIDOSO!' the National Weather Service said in a statement on social media. 'A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY remains in effect! Seek HIGHER GROUND NOW! Do NOT attempt to drive through the floodwaters. The current will carry away your vehicle!'
The extent of damage was not immediately clear, Ms. Gladden said. The areas along the Rio Ruidoso extending into Ruidoso Downs and Glencoe were among the hardest hit places, she said.
Jennifer Shoemake, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, said that more than 2.5 inches had fallen in the area where the South Fork fire ripped through last year.
Preliminary data from a flood sensor operated by the United States Geological Survey showed the Rio Ruidoso at one of the gauges at Ruidoso, N.M., rose from about one and a half feet at 3 p.m. local time to more than 20 feet less than an hour later. The height began dropping again soon after.
Michael Scales, spokesman for the Lincoln County office of emergency services, said there were a couple of water rescues underway on Tuesday but did not provide any details.
'It's all hands on deck,' he said.
Ruidoso's tourism office posted on social media that 'our community is currently experiencing seasonal monsoon rains that have led to flash flooding in some areas.'
The South Fork fire, which started on June 17, 2024, razed 17,066 acres. Officials determined that lightning had caused the fire.
This is a developing story.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Green Fire burns 3,272 acres, prompts evacuation warning north of Lake Shasta
The 3,272-acre Green Fire burning north of Lake Shasta prompted an evacuation warning and closures in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest this week. Firefighters are working to stop the Green Fire spread and build containment around two other forest fires — the Horse and Helena fires — as temperatures warm to 107 by Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. That heat will make already dry vegetation and air even drier, and could enable fires to spread quickly, firefighters said. The forest service advised people avoid fire areas and watch for emergency vehicles traveling in the area and parked on the side of roads. They should also avoid breathing wildfire smoke, public health cautioned. The Green Fire grew to 3,272 acres as of Wednesday morning, up from 2,549 acres Thursday night, the forest service reported. At zero containment, it's burning east of Interstate 5 and west of Montgomery Creek and Round Mountain in Shasta County. The fire is growing mostly on its north border east of the Chirpchatter Campground, said Operations Section Chief Gino DeGraffenreid on Wednesday. Crews are working to keep the fire north of the Pit River, east of Didallas Creek and west of the 27 Road between Fender's Ferry Bridge and Goose Gap, the forest service reported. The Green Fire prompted an evacuation warning from the Shasta County Sheriff's Office and campgrounds and trail closures near the fire, northeast of Lake Shasta. People in Zone LKH-1448 — between Montgomery Creek and O'Brian/Interstate 5 — should prepare to evacuate if the county instructs them to do so, the sheriff's office said. That zone is north of Bully Hill; south of Satin Peak and Bagley Mountain; east of Nosoni, Salt Creek and Minnesota Mountains; and west of Kettle Mountain. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at the Redding Record Searchlight, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. The fire started on July 1 north of the Pit River arm of Lake Shasta, and south of the Chirpchatter Campground, according to the forest service. That area is about 8 miles west of Round Mountain, according to Cal Fire maps. The 389.5-acre Horse Fire, burning west of Lakehead and Interstate 5 in Shasta County, is 90% contained as of Wednesday, according to the forest service. Crews are working to "keep the fire south of Stacey Creek, west of the Shasta Lake District boundary, north of Wild Cow Mountain Ridge and trail, and east of Clear Creek," the forest service reported this week. They're also monitoring hot spots on the northeast side of the fire, the report said. The Horse Fire started on Wednesday, July 2, near Schell Mountain in an area south of the Clear Creek Campground. The area is about 7 miles west of Sugarloaf, according to Cal Fire maps. Firefighters made progress on the 119.4-acre Helena Fire. The blaze was 80% contained, the forest service reported. Started on July 2, the Helena Fire is burning west of East Fork Road, north of Helena in Trinity County. Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta's Green Fire grows as Helena, Horse fire containment improves
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Why Forecasting Thunderstorms Is Still So Hard
Thunderstorms can develop suddenly, transforming calm skies into scenes of heavy rain, fierce winds and dangerous lightning. And while the United States is no stranger to this weather phenomena, predicting when and where a thunderstorm will strike remains one of the most difficult challenges in meteorology, despite major advances in forecasting technology. Unlike larger weather systems, such as hurricanes or winter storms, which can be tracked over hundreds of miles and several days, thunderstorms tend to be hyperlocal and short-lived. Bill Bunting, deputy director at the federal Storm Prediction Center, said their unpredictability stems from their complexity and size. Forecasters often know up to a week in advance if conditions are likely to be favorable for thunderstorms, but their ability to pinpoint exactly where and when those thunderstorms kick off is much more limited. In Texas, they knew July 4 could feature severe thunderstorms, but it wasn't until just a few hours before heavy rain began to inundate the area around the Guadalupe River that their exact effects became clear. 'Thunderstorms are among the smallest and shortest-lived forms of hazardous weather in the U.S.,' Mr. Bunting said. 'They're typically five to 15 miles in diameter and last 30 minutes to a few hours.' Thunderstorms can occur nationwide, and at any time, 'day or night, throughout the entire year,' the National Weather Service says, but they are most common in the late afternoon and evening during the warm months. To understand the difficulty of forecasting thunderstorms, it helps to understand the different types, as well as how they form. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Cabin with people inside swept away by floodwaters in Texas
Catastrophic flooding in Texas swept a cabin at Camp La Junta down the Guadalupe River with four camp staff members stuck inside. CNN spoke to the father of one of the staff members who said the men inside were eventually able to safely exit the cabin after it stopped.
