A flooded house after a storm brought record rainfall in Roswell
The storm brought record rainfall to New Mexico on Saturday. Content posted by Michelle Alexander.
Michelle Alexandra
Two people are dead and nearly 300 others were rescued in Roswell, New Mexico, and surrounding areas after record rainfall flooded homes, flooded roadways and closed the airport, officials said Sunday.
Roswell city officials urged people to stay off the roads, noting that some were forced to wait on the roofs of their cars as streets flooded and their vehicles were covered in water. Floodwaters also entered homes and other buildings, Roswell officials said.
“Flood response efforts continue and some areas remain unsafe,” the city said in a social media post. “Debris on the streets also poses a risk. The less traffic there is on the streets, the more effectively the cleanup work can be carried out.”
The New Mexico National Guard said it rescued 290 people, 38 of whom were transported to local hospitals. Nearly 60 National Guard members took part in rescue operations in the brutal aftermath of the floods, adding that they will remain in Roswell “as long as necessary.”
Amanda Richards, a New Mexico State Police trooper, confirmed to USA TODAY two deaths from the storm. No additional details were immediately provided.
Intense flooding and debris from the storm also forced Roswell Air Center, about five miles outside the city, to cancel flights through Monday morning. Roswell officials said an assessment will be conducted to determine whether flights can resume Monday afternoon.
Rainfall began Friday and is expected to continue through Sunday, according to Carter Greulich, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. Heavy rains began on Saturday evening between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. local time.
Roswell is a city of about 48,000 people that is famous for an alleged UFO crash in 1947.
Record rainfall
It was the state’s first fall storm to break a daily record that had stood for more than 120 years.
According to the NWS, 5.78 inches of rain fell in Roswell on Saturday, breaking the 1901 daily record of 5.65 inches.
Greulich said the amount of rain brought to the city is an “extremely unusual historical event” for Roswell.
Between 4 and almost 8 inches of rain also fell around the city, with as much as 7.81 inches falling across the area.
Residents asked to leave the roads
Residents of Roswell and surrounding areas should avoid flooded roads and “do your best to stay safe,” Greulich said.
According to the city, houses were flooded as a result of the storm. A shelter has been set up at the fairgrounds in eastern New Mexico for people needing to evacuate.
Roswell police and fire departments, the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office, volunteer fire departments, state police, National Guard and other agencies from surrounding towns are assisting in the rescue efforts.
When will the floods end?
On Sunday, the NWS was unable to predict when flood waters would recede.
The city has taken corrective action, but smaller rivers and streams are flooded by rainfall, “and it’s not a very sloped area,” Greulich said. “So the water will take some time to recede.”
Pollution can also block waterways, which can affect how and when floodwaters recede in an area.
Contributors: Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times; Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY
