New Mexico flash flooding emergency declared, multiple rescues underway

A father and two children in Lincoln, New Mexico, were washed away in flood waters on Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported after declaring a flash flooding emergency in the area.

Multiple rescue missions were underway at Gavilan Trailer Park in Ruidoso, and another person was also trapped in high water, the NWS said in its local storm report at 5:50 p.m. ET.

“Homes starting to be moved by water,” the NWS said.

Images from the U.S. Geological Survey posted to the Albuquerque NWS social media account show a river in Lincoln County, the Rio Ruidoso, rapidly rising 15 feet in about an hour. “Stay away from the river! Seek higher ground NOW!” the weather service wrote.

According to the USGS’s real-time data, water levels at the 30-mile-long river located about 150 miles southeast of Albuquerque were “extremely above” its historic daily averages on Tuesday evening.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.