Just a few days after catastrophic flash floods struck the Texas Hill Country, claiming the lives of over 100 individuals, New Mexico has reported three fatalities due to monsoon-induced flash floods.
According to a statement from the village of Ruidoso, floodwaters claimed the lives of a man and two young children—a 4-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy—on Tuesday. The severity of the flooding in this well-known summer destination was underscored when an entire house was caught on camera being carried away by the torrents.
“Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” Mayor Lynn Crawford said in a statement.
“The whole Village of Ruidoso sends our deepest condolences and compassion to the grieving families during this incredibly challenging period. We stand united in our grief and our determination to support each other as we confront this devastating loss together.”
Tucker Davis, who lost his home in last year’s South Fork Fire, walks his dogs as localized flash flooding moves through a river in midtown Ruidoso, New Mexico, U.S. June 26, 2025. (Kaylee Greenlee)
“Emergency crews conducted 50-60 swift-water rescues during the event,” a village of Ruidoso media release said.
The water had receded by the evening and search and rescue were scouring the town for the missing people, while public works crews cleared debris from the roadways. Some cars were left stranded in the mud.
In this image taken from video, a house is carried away by flash flooding behind a house in Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Kaitlyn Carpenter )
“Tonight, I signed an emergency declaration request to get federal response teams and repair resources on the ground immediately. We’re encouraged to learn that additional federal resources are already on the way,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said on Facebook.
“New Mexico is mobilizing every resource we have, but the Village of Ruidoso needs federal support to recover from this disaster. We’ve watched Texas receive the federal resources they desperately needed, and Ruidoso deserves that same urgent response,” she concluded.
