() Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will visit southern New Mexico after flash floods swept through the area in early July.
Three people died as a result, and many more were hospitalized. Among the victims were siblings Sebastian Trotter, 7, and Charlotte Trotter, 4, according to affiliate KRQE.
The Rio Ruidoso rose to a record-breaking 20 feet in about 30 minutes due to heavy rains in the area. Video footage showed the moment a house was swept away in the process.
“Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford said in a statement shortly after the floods. “The entire Village of Ruidoso extends our deepest sympathy and compassion to these grieving families during this unimaginably difficult time. We are united in our sorrow and our commitment to supporting one another as we face this devastating loss together.”
The floods in Ruidoso came just days after central Texas was hit by heavy rains that caused devastating flooding, leaving at least 135 people dead.
