(RUIDOSO, N.M.) — A man and two children were killed in a record-breaking flash flood that swept through a village in New Mexico on Tuesday, local officials said.
The three were “swept downstream by the unprecedented floodwaters that struck” the Village of Ruidoso, village officials said in a statement.
Officials said a man in his 40s or 50s was killed, along with a 4-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy.
“Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” Mayor Lynn Crawford said in a statement.
More than 50 others were rescued by emergency crews, the village said.
The Rio Ruidoso rose “to a record-breaking 20 feet — five feet higher than the previous record,” officials said.
“The flash flooding occurred Tuesday afternoon when heavy monsoonal rains fell on burn scar areas from last year’s South Fork and Salt fires, creating dangerous conditions that led to rapid water rise throughout the village,” the village said.
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque saidearly data placed the river’s crest at 20.24 feet on Tuesday afternoon, which would break the record of 15.86 feet that was set on July 20, 2024.
The highest measured rainfall was 3.29 inches on the southwest side of the South Fork burn scar. But generally speaking between 1.5 and 3.5 inches of rain fell on the burn scar and up to 1.5 inches fell in the village of Ruidoso.
The threat for rain and flooding is not over in the area.
A flood watch is in effect over this specific area — Ruidoso and Capitan — for Wednesday afternoon because there is a chance for 1-inch per hour rainfall rates with isolated downpours possible in the region. Another round of rain is possible in the evening as well. If another downpour happens, flash flooding can begin rapidly just like Tuesday.
There have been multiple flash flooding events in the same region since the South Fork Fire in June 2024 burned more than 17,000 acres. Prior to Tuesday’s event, Ruidoso suffered serious flash flooding as recently as June 26.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
