Re: “Ruidoso Situation”

[Robert <http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert>]

😧

 > From: Bhavani <http://www.gmail.com/~bhavaniowl>
 > Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2025 16:43:38 -0600
 >
 > 🫵 Heartbreaking Ruidoso Flash Flood: 3 Lives Lost, including 2 Children —
 > Burn‑Scar Rains Hit Like a Trap
 > 
 > ⚠️ Key Details You Can’t Ignore:
 > 
 > 🔘 On July 8, torrential monsoon rains poured over wildfire burn scars from
 > the 2024 South Fork and Salt Fires, triggering a flash flood emergency in
 > 
 > 🔘 The Rio Ruidoso swelled to a record 20 ft, about 5 ft above its previous
 > high from July 2024
 > 
 > 🔘 Three people died when floodwaters swept them away in an RV park near
 > the river:
 > 
 > ➖ a 4‑year‑old girl
 > ➖ a 7‑year‑old boy
 > ➖ an unidentified man in his 40s–50s
 > 
 > 🔘 85+ water rescues were carried out, and 35–50 homes were damaged or
 > destroyed
 > 
 > 🔘 A house was swept away—captured on video—symbolizing the sudden fury 
 > of nature
 > 
 > 🔘 Governor Lujan Grisham called the disaster “unfathomable,” declared a
 > state of emergency, and requested federal aid—an initial $15 million is on
 > the way
 > 
 > 🔘 Mayor Lynn Crawford pleaded: “Our hearts are broken,” urging residents
 > to be vigilant and heed warnings as the region faces more thunderstorms
 > 
 > 📌 Details that deepen empathy:
 > 
 > ➲ The children are the son and daughter of a Fort Bliss soldier. Their
 > parents survived but were severely injured and hospitalized in Texas.
 > 
 > ➲ Community footage shows homes, cars, even horses caught in the surging
 > water. Locally, residents describe the river as “pretty heartbreaking”.
 > 
 > ➲ Ruidoso’s infrastructure—bridges, roads, utilities—was heavily 
 > affected;
 > shelters opened as the tourist-dependent economy faces major setbacks.
 > 
 > ➡️ Why This Matters:
 > 
 > ➲ Burn-scarred landscapes are extremely vulnerable—just a few inches of
 > rain can result in deadly flash floods.
 > 
 > ➲ Communities like Ruidoso, repeatedly battered by wildfires and floods,
 > urgently need mitigation efforts—such as watershed restoration and
 > proactive land management.
 > 
 > ➲ With more storms expected, it’s a pressing reminder: environmental
 > resilience saves lives.
 > 
 > ▶️ Credit: Fox News Weather (Steve Bender)
 > 
 > #RuidosoFlood #FlashFlood #ClimateCrisis