Ruidoso area seeing flash flooding again

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) – The Village of Ruidoso is reporting flash flooding on Saturday afternoon, July 20, according to the Village’s Facebook page.

The Upper Canyon, Cedar Creek and Brady Canyon areas, as well as the area around the Rio Ruidoso, are being impacted and anyone in those areas is being asked to seek higher ground immediately, according to the Village of Ruidoso.

The National Weather Service has extended the flash flood emergency for the Ruidoso area until 6 p.m. Saturday, according to the Village.

“This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are leaving an area that is subject to flooding,” according the Village of Ruidoso.

The White Mountain Relief Center at 687 Hull Road (White Mountain Sports Complex) is open for anyone that has been displaced by the flash flooding Saturday afternoon. They have shelter and food.

At Ruidoso Downs, stakes races scheduled for Saturday, including the Grade 1, $800,000 Rainbow Derby and several New Mexico-bred stakes races, were canceled Saturday after floodwaters once again damaged the racetrack, Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino said in a news release.

Races for Sunday have been canceled while repair and clean-up continues, the news release stated.

Racetrack management will determine Sunday if the stakes races missed this weekend can be rescheduled at a later date.

Last month, the Ruidoso and Mescalero Apache areas were hit by two large wildfires, the Salt South Fork wildfires, and then several days of flash flooding after that.

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