Flash flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico kills 3, including 2 children

Three people, including two young children, were killed when flash flooding swept through the village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, according to local officials.

The victims were caught in rapidly rising waters after heavy monsoonal rains triggered a major flood along the Rio Ruidoso on Tuesday.

Intense rainfall hit burn scar areas left by last year’s South Fork and Salt fires in the area, leading to dangerous runoff and rapid water rise. According to the Village of Ruidoso, the Rio Ruidoso surged to a record-breaking height of 20 feet—five feet higher than the previous record.

Village officials identified the victims as a man in his 40s or 50s, a 7-year-old boy, and a 4-year-old girl. Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford said all three were swept downstream in the floodwaters.

“Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” the mayor said. “We are united in our sorrow and our commitment to supporting one another.”

Mayor Crawford confirmed during a Wednesday news conference that the children have been identified as Charlotte and Sebastian Trotter, visitors from El Paso.

According to KFOX, the children were part of a military family from Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, who were on approved leave at a recreational vehicle campground near Ruidoso when the flash flood struck. The children’s parents—a Fort Bliss soldier and their spouse—were seriously injured and are receiving treatment at a hospital in Texas.

“The entire Fort Bliss community extends our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this tragedy,” Brig. Gen. Rory Crooks, deputy commanding general of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, said.

Emergency crews conducted at least 65 swift-water rescues during Tuesday’s flooding. Three people were hospitalized and remain in stable condition. Search and rescue efforts remain active, according to the Village of Ruidoso.

The flooding in Ruidoso comes amid catastrophic flash floods in Central Texas, where at least 119 people have died and more than 170 remain missing, most of them in Kerr County.