Climate Change
New Mexico Flash Floods Kill 3, Including Two Children, Just Days After Texas Deluge
Just days after historic floods overwhelmed southern Texas, a deadly wave of flash flooding struck southern New Mexico, claiming the lives of three people and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The flooding hit the Ruidoso area Tuesday afternoon after torrential rain caused the Rio Ruidoso river to rise to an unprecedented 20 feet, shattering its previous high-water mark by five feet. Water levels surged nearly 19 feet in just 30 minutes, according to CBS, as floodwaters swept through neighbourhoods, prompting more than 85 swift water rescues.
Tragically, the floods claimed three lives: a man, a 4-year-old girl, and a 7-year-old boy, all of whom were swept away downstream. Emergency crews later confirmed that all victims had been found, and no additional individuals are missing or unaccounted for.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham responded swiftly, issuing an emergency declaration Tuesday night to secure federal aid. “We’re encouraged that additional federal resources are already on the way,” she stated. “We’ve watched Texas receive the federal resources they desperately needed, and Ruidoso deserves that same urgent response.”
Images and video from the scene showed the violent power of the floodwaters—entire homes were swept downstream, roads were submerged, and residents were stranded as emergency teams worked through the night. The National Guard and local rescue crews were already stationed in the area due to ongoing recovery efforts from last year’s devastating wildfires.
A Region Still Reeling from Wildfires
The same region devastated by Tuesday’s floods was left especially vulnerable due to burn scars and damaged soil from the South Fork and Salt wildfires that scorched the area in summer 2024. According to The Wall Street Journal, the fires destroyed an estimated 1,400 homes, leaving the landscape unable to absorb water and making it a prime target for flash floods.
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“The flash floods saturated an area reeling from wildfires last year,” said Danielle Silva of the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “It is a significant amount of water flowing throughout, some of it in new areas that didn’t flood last year.”
The back-to-back natural disasters, including the Texas Floods and now New Mexico, are reigniting conversations about climate change, climate resilience, land management, and the growing frequency of extreme weather events across the American Southwest. With wildfire seasons intensifying and rainfall patterns becoming more erratic, communities like Ruidoso are finding themselves repeatedly in harm’s way.
By Tuesday night, the floodwaters had begun to recede, allowing emergency crews to start clearing debris and inspecting homes for damage. But for families who lost loved ones and homes for the second summer in a row, recovery will take far longer.
As New Mexico turns to the federal government for relief, one thing is clear: in a region still scarred by fire, the floods have delivered another punishing blow.
