
RUIDOSO, N.M. – Heavy rainfall over the South Fork burn scar triggered flash flooding across Ruidoso on Tuesday, leading to road closures, water rescues, and reports of missing persons.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning that expired at 7:15 p.m. on July 8. Between one and 2.5 inches of rain fell in the area, causing historic flooding along the Rio Ruidoso and surrounding canyons.
Flooding has impacted several areas, including Upper Canyon, Brady Canyon, Perk Canyon, Cedar Creek, Eagle Creek, and the Rio Ruidoso drainages.
Emergency Shelters Open
Several locations have opened their doors to residents seeking temporary refuge:
- Ruidoso Community Center
- Eastern New Mexico University–Ruidoso campus
- Angus Church of the Nazarene
Mayor Confirms Missing Persons
Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford confirmed that some residents are unaccounted for following the flooding.
“It didn’t look like it was going to be this massive, but it was. It hit hard, it hit fast… we did lose some more homes, we have some folks that are missing, we’re looking for them right now,” Crawford said.
Road Closures
As of Tuesday afternoon, several roads were closed due to high water:
- White Mountain Drive from Hull to Mechem
- Sudderth Drive at Robin, Carrizo, and Hickory
- Paradise Canyon Road
Water Rescues Underway
Lincoln County Fire Service crews are actively conducting water rescues and assisting residents affected by the flooding.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Home captured on video floating away in the flooding.