Ruidoso residents: Flood worse than anything last year
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- Residents of Ruidoso are saying the flash flooding on Tuesday, July 8 is worse than what they experienced last year after two major wildfires.
Residents have shared video with KTSM and have posted images on social media showing homes that were damaged by Tuesday's flooding, cars submerged under water and swift moving water racing through the community and surrounding forest area.
They told our crew when they arrived that the devastation of Tuesday's flooding was worse than anything they experienced last year after two major wildfires and then a series of floods that rocked the area.
La Salsa Kitchen restaurant in Ruidoso reported on Facebook that it was devastated by flash floods.
"We've lost so much, but we're determined to rebuild -- not just for ourselves but for our amazing employees and others in the community who were also affected," the restaurant said in a Facebook post.
The restaurant shared some video of how the raging floodwaters raced by the restaurant and through the community.
Ruidoso resident Mark Rushing told KTSM that Tuesday's flooding was "significantly worse than anything we've seen in the last two years."
"It wasn't just a little different," he said. "It was markedly different. It was. (Tuesday's) was bad, real bad. And last summer's wiped us out over here."
Here is some video of raging floodwater posted by Bob Pankey on Facebook, also showing the power of the water that hit Ruidoso.
A KTSM viewer Jatonna Holmes shared some video with KTSM of cars submerged in water.
She also shared video of swifly flowing creek water racing through the Ruidoso area.
Our crew captured these images when they arrived in Ruidoso on Tuesday evening, showing homes damaged by the flooding.
Ruidoso business J.O. Quality Services LLC shared some photos a wrecked truck submerged in mud and water.
"Please tell me the owner of this truck made it out OK? We were able to look inside," the business posted on its Facebook account.
LaDonna Cope Hamilton posted a photo of how the floodwater threw mud on top of the second bridge in Ruidoso's Upper Canyon. Ruidoso street crews were already cleaning the mess up, she noted.
"It's a little beat up but still there," she wrote on Facebook. "Look at our precious road crew out at work clearing already."