At least 1 dead from flooding in New Mexico
At least 1 dead from flooding in New Mexico
Published September 14, 2013Associated Press
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Sept. 13, 2013: La Union resident George Enriquez, left, and Pablo Romero of Las Cruces, N.M. survey the damage along Sentenario Street in La Union, N.M. where Thursday's massive flooding destroyed multiple roads in the small town. (AP/The Las Cruces Sun-News)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Flood waters broke through dams, inundated neighborhoods and killed at least one person, leaving New Mexico residents with a major cleanup effort.
The massive flooding prompted Gov. Susana Martinez to issue a state of emergency, opening up recovery funding after rivers overflowed because of heavy rains and caused millions of dollars in damage.
State Police Sgt. Emmanuel Gutierrez said the body of a man was found Saturday in his partially submerged vehicle next to State Road 51 in Ash Canyon, about 150 miles from Albuquerque. Investigators believe the man died after his vehicle washed into a ravine covered in mud near the Elephant Butte dam and was washed nearly a miles off roadway, probably Friday during the flooding, Gutierrez said.
The man's name was not released.
Officials said heavy rain on Friday caused the Rio Grande and nearby creeks to overflow in Sierra County -- where the man was found -- and forced an unknown number of residents to evacuate. The flooding also ruptured an earthen canal in Las Vegas and an aging earthen dam in southern New Mexico.
The canal east of Bradner Dam near the village of Los Vigiles gave in late Thursday or early Friday, which caused flooding in the city of Las Vegas and wreaked havoc throughout San Miguel County, officials said.
Las Vegas Mayor Alfonso Ortiz said repairs could take days, if not longer.
In addition, three of the four major bridges in Las Vegas -- Bridge Street Bridge, Independence Street Bridge and the Mills Avenue Bridge -- were closed at some point Friday. All but Bridge Street later reopened.
"It is widespread and throughout the county," Leger said of the flooding. "We're telling people to stay away from water courses. If you're safe where you're at, stay there. If you're home, and you're safe, stay there."
More than two dozen homes on the Santa Clara Pueblo were ordered to evacuate. The area had been hit hard due to the Las Conchas Fire in 2011, which created a burn scar and made the canyon especially vulnerable to a flood.
"Our first objective is always life, safety. We always want to protect life, safety," Santa Clara Pueblo Sheriff Regis Chavarria said.
In Dona Ana County, heavy rains overwhelmed an aging earthen dam outside La Union causing flooded homes, washed out roads and utility outages. County spokesman Jess Williams told the Las Cruces Sun-News that no injuries were reported and he did not know how many people were affected.
"It's yet another wake-up call," Williams said, referring to the many earthen dams throughout the county. "They were never meant to protect residential areas."
He estimates the La Union dam is at least 50 years old and 20 years beyond its lifespan.
In Albuquerque, a flood warning was canceled as water levels for Rio Grande slowed.
Heavy rains also raised the Gila River by 15 feet in the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument area, prompting the closure of the Gila Cliff Dwellings, the Gila Visitor Center and nearby campgrounds, officials said.
Meanwhile, the city of Carlsbad, which was in the middle of a multiple-year reconstruction project, saw close to a $1 million of damage. City Administrator Steve McCutcheon said officials weren't sure who would help with the damage, but a meeting has been set with the contractor.
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