Ruidoso Downs racetrack flooded by Rio Ruidoso (2024)

LOOK AT THAT BURN SCAR FLOODING HITTING THE RIO RUIDOSO AREA. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE REPORTING RIO RUIDOSO WATER LEVELS ROSE FROM 1.7FT TO MORE THAN 5.5FT. RIO RUIDOSO EMERGENCY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ISSUED AN EVACUATION NOTICE FOR THE UPPER CANYON AREA DUE TO UNSTABLE SOIL AND LIFE THREATENING FLOOD WATERS. AS YOU JUST SAW RIGHT THERE, IF YOU ARE IN THIS AREA, YOU DO NEED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. IF YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE RIVER, YOU ALSO ARE ASKED TO EVACUATE AND FIND HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. AN EVACUATION SHELTER IS SET UP AT THE WHITE MOUNTAIN RELIEF CENTER. THAT’S AT THE WHITE MOUNTAIN SPORTS COMPLEX AT SIX, EIGHT, SEVEN HALL ROAD, AND WE’RE LEARNING ALSO ABOUT WATER RESCUES HAPPENING THIS EVENING IN RUIDOSO. THIS VIDEO HERE, TAKEN FROM INNSBRUCK COUNTY CLUB AND RESORT. LOOK AT THAT. CREWS WORKING TO GET OUT OF THE CEDAR CREEK FLOOD PATH THERE. MEACHAM ROAD BRIDGE AT THAT. AT THAT CREEK IS NOT PASSABLE AT THIS TIME. THERE WERE ALSO PEOPLE TRAPPED IN VEHICLES ALONG PARADISE CANYON ROAD NEAR RIO RUIDOSO AND THIS VIDEO HERE, SENT IN FROM THE UPPER CANYON AREA OF RUIDOSO, WHICH IS UNDER AN EVACUATION ORDER. TWO SEVERAL HOMES ARE GETTING HIT BY THE POWERFUL AND FAST MOVING FLOOD WATERS THERE. NOW THE VILLAGE SPEAKING TO US TODAY ABOUT WHAT RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS FLOODING, WE HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS IN TOWN RIGHT NOW THAT MAY NOT BE YOU KNOW, FAMILIAR WITH HOW HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS. SO JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. AND WE’VE GOT, UH, WE’VE GOT OUR ALL OF OUR FIREMEN, POLICEMEN, UM, THE FEMA SWIFTWATER RESCUE TEAMS OUT. SO JUST, YOU KNOW, STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY. DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU. IF THEY TELL YOU TO NOT GO DOWN A ROAD, DON’T GO DOWN THE ROAD AND AS WE’VE BEEN SAYING, HEAVY RAIN HIT THE VILLAGE OF RUIDOSO PRETTY HARD TODAY. PARTS OF THE VILLAGE EVACUATED BECAUSE OF FLASH FLOODING CAUSED BY THAT FRESH BURN SCAR. THERE. REPORTER ALYSSA MUNOZ JOINS US LIVE FROM RIO RUIDOSO DOWNS, WHERE SOME OF THAT FLOODING ACTUALLY HIT TONIGHT. ALYSSA. YEAH, SASHA. WE’RE RIGHT NOW WE’RE HERE AT THE RUIDOSO DOWNS RACETRACK, AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY AREAS THAT WAS HIT WITH THAT FLOODING EARLIER TODAY. BUT TAKE A LOOK FROM SOME VIDEO THAT WE GOT FROM VIEWERS. YOU CAN SEE THAT RUSH OF WATER COMING DOWN THE RIO RUIDOSO BUTTING RIGHT UP WITH THE RACETRACK. NOW, AS CREWS WORK TO REMOVE DEBRIS AND MAKE SPACE FOR THE WATER, THE DOWNS CANCELED SOME OF ITS LATER RACES. THE RAIN WAS HEAVY IN AREAS LIKE CEDAR CREEK, THE UPPER CANYON AROUND THE OTO AREA, AND EAGLE CREEK. THERE WERE EVACUATIONS SET IN PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO HIGHER GROUND, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MOST OF THOSE AREAS THAT WERE FLOODING ARE NOW PRETTY MUCH DRY. LIVE OUTSIDE RUIDOSO DOWNS. I’M MELISSA MUNOZ, KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. GOOD NEWS INDEED ALYSSA. THANK YOU. WELL THE VILLAGE ALSO REPORTING SEVERAL ROAD CLOSURES RIGHT NOW. IT DOES INCLUDE GAVILAN CANYON FROM SUTTON TO MEANDER, PARADISE CANYON FROM COUNTRY CLUB TO PHILLIPS CIRCLE AND HALL ROAD FROM ROYALE TO PARADISE CANYON. OFFICIALS SAY IT IS CRUCIAL TO AVOID THE UPPER CANYON DUE TO ITS HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS THERE. WELL, THIS FLOODING COMING JUST AS RUIDOSO REOPENED TODAY, MAKING EVERY AREA IMPACTED BY THE FIRE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND CREWS MAKING SOME BIG PROGRESS ON THESE FIRES, ACCORDING TO THE VILLAGE, THE SOUTH FORK FIRE IS 73% CONTAINED. THE SALT FIRE, NOW AT 71% CONTAINMENT. TOGETHER, THOUGH, THEY HAVE BURNED MORE THAN 25,000 ACRES. THE FBI TONIGHT STILL INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THESE TWO FIRES. THEY’RE NOW OFFERING $10,000 FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OF WHOEVER MAY BE RESPONSIBLE. IF YOU HAVE A TIP, YOU CAN EITHER EMAIL THEM AT TIPS.FBI.GOV OR CALL THAT NUMBER AT YOUR SCREEN ONE 800. CALL FBI RUIDOSO RESIDENTS WHO HAVE NOT GONE BACK YET CAN CHECK IF THEIR HOME HAS BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED. IT’S THROUGH A MAP WITH FOOTAGE TAKEN BY SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS. ADDRESSES ARE ABLE TO BE LOOKED UP WITH A DESCRIPTION AND PICTURE OF THE HOME’S CONDIT