SOCORRO, N.M. – Flooding along the Rio Puerco killed one woman and stranded people in their homes in Socorro County Sunday night.
County leaders said Highway 60 will remain closed while crews repair flooded train tracks in Socorro County.
Rescue crews responded Sunday night after rising water trapped people in their homes and swept one person away. Rescuers reached the homes Monday morning, rescued nine people and found one woman had died.
“It’s just been washing out all the roads and washing out my whole neighborhood and pretty much everything,” Ethan Dalbey said.
Dalbey, who lives in Socorro County, said rain had fallen steadily in the area over the last couple of days.
“It’s usually dead, it’s usually dry, completely out,” Dalbey said.
Dalbey said he is new to the area, and the overflowing Rio Puerco is not typical. In fact, the Rio Puerco has not been this high since 1944.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) said it is monitoring the out-of-service bridge on Old U.S. Highway 60 to make sure water does not damage the structure.
An evacuation shelter has been set up in Socorro at Finley Gym. The river is expected to rise to 3 feet above flood stage Monday night.
