At least three people have died in the tourist destination of Ruidoso, New Mexico, after heavy rain caused the Ruidoso river to flood on July 8. The confirmed victims are a man and two children who were swept away by the current. At least 50 people had to be rescued by emergency services.
Video footage from locals showed a house being completely swept away by the flood. Officials are currently unable to confirm the extent of the damage in the area, and searches are still ongoing for missing people. The waters have now receded.
The village of Ruidoso is no stranger to such calamities, having been hit by wildfires last year that prompted an evacuation and resulted in the deaths of two people.
This flash flood comes only days after the devastating Texas flood that killed at least 109 people, with 161 still missing.
Indeed, these events are becoming more frequent with climate change—though the phenomenon is nothing new. History has recorded some truly terrifying floods: natural disasters that have killed thousands and destroyed homes and livelihoods.
Click through and be reminded of some of the worst floods on record.