Heavy rain and life-threatening flash flooding prompted road closures and evacuation orders Tuesday across northern Don?a Ana County, affecting Hatch, Placitas, Rincon, Salem and Garfield.
Don?a Ana County issued an evacuation order for Placitas, expanding earlier evacuation orders for Hatch, Rincon, Salem and Garfield as officials warned that weather conditions could worsen.
"Go" evacuation orders for Hatch Valley and surrounding areas
Residents and visitors in all five communities were strongly encouraged to evacuate immediately and move to a safe location before conditions deteriorate, Don?a Ana County said.
The county directed residents to use Interstate 25 as their evacuation route.
Two shelters were available for people who needed a safe place to go: the Radium Springs Community Resource Center, 12060 Lindbeck Road, and the Don?a Ana Community Resource Center, 5745 Ledesma Drive, the county said.
Residents evacuating were advised to take essential medications, identification, important documents, necessary supplies and items for children and pets. County officials urged residents not to wait for conditions to worsen before leaving.
Flooding also affected travel throughout the region.
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NM 187 was closed in both directions between mile markers 6 and 8, from about one mile north of Salem to about two miles south of Garfield, because of flooding and debris on the roadway, according to the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
The roadway was considered impassable, and drivers were advised to seek an alternate route.
Dangerous conditions were also reported along NM 185 in the Hatch and Rincon Valley.
The National Weather Service in El Paso/Santa Teresa warned that low-water crossings along Highway 185 between mile markers 21 and 35 could become impassable as torrential rain moved through the area.
The weather service reported rainfall rates as high as 3 inches per hour moving into the Hatch and Rincon Valley. Another band of storms moving through the upper Hatch Valley produced rainfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour, creating a considerable threat of flash flooding, the weather service said.
Significant runoff continued in the Salem and Garfield areas even after some of the heaviest rain moved away. The National Weather Service warned about flooding in arroyos without retention dams, including Broadhurst Arroyo and unnamed arroyos north of Garfield Canyon near County Road E-055.
Additional heavy rain also raised flooding concerns around Radium Springs and Leasburg, including at low-water crossings. Flooding was expected to spread toward Jornada Range Road, the weather service said.
The storms posed a risk of flash flooding along creeks, streams, highways, streets, underpasses, arroyos and other low-lying areas. Flooding can occur even where rain is no longer falling because runoff can rapidly move through arroyos and streams, the weather service said.
Don?a Ana County administrative offices closed at 4 p.m. Tuesday because of worsening weather conditions. Emergency services continued operating normally, and county offices were expected to resume normal operations at 8 a.m. Wednesday, the county said.
Drivers should never attempt to cross a flooded roadway or drive around barricades. The National Weather Service advises motorists to turn around when encountering flooded roads.
Residents should continue monitoring official Don?a Ana County announcements and NMRoads.com for changes to evacuation areas, road closures and available resources.
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Andrea Marvez is the public safety reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. Reach her by email at [email protected] or by phone at 575-541-5406. For more local news follow her on Instagram at @andreamarvez and on Facebook at @AndreaMarvez.