Torrential rain and thunderstorms pounded the Roswell area late Saturday and early Sunday, resulting in rare flash flood emergencies as water trapped residents in their homes and engulfed vehicles.
According to officials, rescue activities have been ongoing in the Roswell region since Saturday, when heavy rain poured and water levels climbed.
The New Mexico State Police (NMSP) verified at least two deaths as a result of the flooding in Roswell.
The City of Roswell posted on Facebook that the flooding left many motorists stranded, forcing others to sit on top of their stranded cars while they waited for a rescue.
The city posted on Facebook that the water washed some vehicles into the river channel. The flood has confirmed one death. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing this morning.”
In response to calls for assistance, the New Mexico National Guard reported rescuing at least 290 people from the floodwaters, sending at least 38 of them to local hospitals for treatment.
“We feel for the New Mexicans affected by this latest flooding in our state,” New Mexico National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Miguel Aguilar said in a statement. “Because of the previous flooding in Ruidoso, we have the experience and were ready for this.”
Officials said 57 guardsmen were on the ground for the rescue missions and would remain on duty to assist Roswell “as long as necessary.”
The relentless precipitation also smashed records in the area, with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque reporting that Roswell recorded an all-time daily rainfall record of 5.78 inches, breaking the previous high of 5.65 inches set in November 1901.
Chaves County Sheriff Mike Herrington took to Facebook early Sunday morning amid the storm, claiming he was trapped as water engulfed his truck.
“At this time, I am sitting on the roof of my police truck,” he said in a video. At this moment, water completely surrounds me.
Herrington rotates the camera around, revealing numerous additional vehicles engulfed by floods as water rushes by.
“There are multiple vehicles,” he stated. “I didn’t expect this much water. Before I knew it, the water swept me away. Multiple automobiles have also been swept away. So, to everyone in Chaves County, please stay inside and do not go out.”
Flooding has forced the closure of all highways into and out of the Roswell area, according to a New Mexico State Police announcement on X, formerly Twitter.
On Sunday afternoon, NMSP stated that highways to Roswell remain closed and that vehicles can leave but cannot return.
Roswell city officials say the water has already decreased, but it remains high in the downtown area and along the Spring River channel.
The Flash Flood Emergencies have already expired, but flood warnings remain in place in parts of eastern New Mexico, including Roswell and Las Vegas.
The NWS reported that 4 to 9 inches of rain had fallen in the Roswell area, inundating numerous areas.
“This is an ongoing, dangerous flooding situation,” the NWS cautioned.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has classified sections of the region as a Level 2 out of 5 risk on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale, with more thunderstorms expected in the area overnight Sunday.
The SPC stated that the major dangers include heavy rain, huge hail, and damaging wind gusts. There is also a chance of a few tornadoes.
