The terrible things that are happening in central Texas have stunned people all throughout the country and the world. At least 107 people died in flash flooding on Friday.
People are still hunting for their loved ones, and rescue workers are still working hard on the ground.
But just as the country was trying to get over that horrible loss, another weather disaster struck, this time in New Mexico.
The victims were hurt badly.
A wall of water that was very strong hit the town of Ruidoso on Tuesday afternoon. Ruidoso is about 180 miles south of Albuquerque in the Sierra Blanca Mountains. This happened when heavy monsoon rains fell on hillsides that had been charred by wildfires. The water ripped through the town because there was nowhere to go.
There were victims who were a 4-year-old girl, a 7-year-old boy, and a man who was assumed to be between 40 and 50 years old. Late on Tuesday, officials acknowledged that the floodwaters that had never happened before “swept downstream” all the victims.
On July 8, 2025, Bob Pankey wrote this.
NBC quoted Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford as saying, “The whole Village of Ruidoso sends our deepest condolences and compassion to these grieving families during this unimaginably difficult time.”
“We’re all sad and determined to help each other get through this terrible loss.”
“Flooding that set new records”
The Rio Ruidoso swelled to an amazing 20 feet, which is five feet higher than the former record. It went from being a small alpine brook to a raging torrent.
According to a statement from the town, “All three people were caught in the rushing floodwaters and carried downstream during the catastrophic flooding event.”
Fern Trail and Grindstone Canyon Road
This was posted by Marissa Henson on July 8, 2025.
The floods came swiftly because of monsoon rain that dropped on terrain that was still recuperating from the South Fork and Salt Fires last summer.
More than 17,000 acres were torched by those fires, and hundreds of homes were lost. The soil was hydrophobic, which means it couldn’t soak up water. This made things worse.
Loss, sadness, and confusion
NBC claims that on Tuesday, emergency officials completed as many as 60 quick-water rescues, and search-and-rescue efforts lasted on all night.
Reports indicated that horses died in the floodwaters and that a lot of people had to go to the hospital. People shared videos on social media of homes being swept away, gas leaks, and entire towns being buried in mudslides.
One scary video showed a house floating down the river and falling into trees. In a place where people used to walk across the small waters, this was an unimaginable sight.
People in the community have started to name the victims.
Tiffanie Wyatt, who had been hunting for her niece and nephew, finally got the bad news that they had both died in the floods. Darnell Benally also reported that Charlotte, 5, and Sebastian Trotter, 7, who were last seen at Midtown RV Park, didn’t make it either.
The effect was worse than expected.
Mayor Crawford, still shocked, saw some of the worst floodwaters he had ever seen.
“This flood hit us harder than we thought it would,” she said.
And the threat isn’t over yet.
Because of the storms that were expected to hit New Mexico during its monsoon season, which usually lasts until early September, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning.
On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Bob Pankey wrote this.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham acted fast, signing a request for an emergency declaration late on Tuesday.
She remarked, “Ruidoso went through terrible wildfires and floods last summer, and now this strong community is facing terrible flooding again.” “This crisis needs to be dealt with right away.”
Community shelters: Officials told people who were safe and dry to stay there, and they asked family members who couldn’t reach their loved ones to call the emergency operations center to let them know they were missing.
The inquiry into the fatalities is being helped by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and a number of other groups.
On July 8, 2025, Bob Pankey placed this up.
But for now, the most important things are being alive, grieving, and being among others.
“This town has been through hell,” remarked one volunteer at the emergency shelter. “And somehow, we keep getting hit.”
From the wrecked hills of New Mexico to the flooded streets of Texas, families are grieving, homes are gone, and communities will never be the same again. These aren’t just awful weather events; they’re disasters that happen to real people.
The people of Ruidoso and central Texas need our help, our voices, and our kindness more than ever.
