ROSWELL, N.M. - New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order Monday, declaring an emergency in Chaves County after record-breaking rain led to deadly flooding in the Roswell area over the weekend.
That declaration now unlocks $1 million in funding to help bolster flooding relief efforts in and around the Roswell area.
"My declaration of a state of emergency for Chaves County will help support local recovery efforts in the aftermath of historic and severe flooding in and around Roswell," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. "I’m grateful for the swift actions taken by local authorities and our state departments to help communities in need."
In addition to the emergency declaration, Lujan Grisham signed a second executive order that authorized the release of $250,000 to the New Mexico National Guard to support the disaster relief efforts.
The record-breaking event began Friday and continued through Sunday due to a slow-moving upper-level low-pressure system sitting on top of the Four Corners region in the Southwest, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
On Saturday, NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC) warned that heavy precipitation was likely to cause flash flooding in the region.
That forecast came to fruition late Saturday night when round after round of rain and thunderstorms marched across the Roswell area, eventually leading to rare Flash Flood Emergencies due to the rapidly rising water.
Rainfall rates of 1-3 inches an hour were reported, which exceeded the average hourly rain rate for October, November and December combined, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
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New Mexico State Police confirmed at least two deaths due to the flooding in Roswell. The National Guard said that about 500 people needed to be rescued.
"We launched right away," said LTC Paul Lauritzen, 515th CSSB Commander of the New Mexico National Guard. "The good thing was that we did have soldiers that were drilling this weekend, and they were able to action real quick. From that point we were doing rescues all through the night all the way til early morning, about 7 or 8 in the morning."
City officials said many motorists became stranded in the flooding, with some people being forced to sit on top of their vehicles while waiting to be rescued.
"Some vehicles were swept away by the water into the river channel," city officials said on Facebook.
Among those who were trapped was Chaves County Sheriff Mike Herrington, who took to Facebook to describe the unfolding situation.
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"At this time, I am sitting on top of the roof of my police truck," he said in a video on Facebook. "I am completely surrounded by water at this time."
Several other vehicles in the video could be seen surrounded by floodwaters.
"There are multiple vehicles," he said. "Came into this not expecting that much water. And before I knew it, I was swept off into this. Multiple vehicles have been swept away as well. So, to all of you in Chaves County, please, stay home. Do not go out."
According to the FOX Forecast Center, 5.78 inches of rain officially fell at the airport in Roswell on Saturday, which is now the location's all-time wettest day on record. The previous record was 5.65 inches on Nov. 1, 1901.