Adrian Hedden and Mike Smith

El Rito Media

At least two people died as a result of massive flooding in Roswell and surrounding areas over the weekend. The deluge caused multiple road closures, cutting off Roswell and nearby communities and leaving many travelers stranded or searching for alternate routes.

The deaths were confirmed Sunday by New Mexico State Police. No other details were immediately provided.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday signed an emergency declaration, unlocking $1 million in state relief funds.

Rainfall began Saturday, dropping almost 6 inches of rain on the area on Saturday, breaking the previous record set in 1901, according to the National Weather Service.

The New Mexico National Guard reported Sunday that the Guard and other agencies rescued 290 people, taking 38 to local hospitals.

The Guard’s Community Emergency Response Team performed at least one “swift water rope save” Saturday night, a technique used to pull people out of rushing waters learned during flooding in Ruidoso earlier this year.

Fifty-seven Guardsmen were deployed for the mission.

“We feel for the New Mexicans affected by this latest flooding in our state,” said Maj. Gen. Miguel Aguilar, New Mexico National Guard’s Adjutant General in a Sunday statement. “We’ve worked all night, and continue to work with swift water rescue teams and other partner agencies to help our fellow citizens get to safety.”

The Chaves County Sheriff’s Office reported Sunday the Rio Feliz Bridge near Hagerman was wiped out in the floods, mean U.S. Highway 285’s southbound lanes heading from Roswell to Artesia and Carlsbad were impassable.

State Road 2 between Dexter and Hagerman were also closed by the floods, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

At about 8:55 p.m. on Saturday night, Chaves County reported a flashflood warning was in effect until 12:30 a.m. as water continued to rise on U.S. 285, which was closed at Cottonwood Bridge at 7:30 p.m.

Flood waters breached U.S. 285 in several places and on U.S. Highway 70, the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Chaves County Sheriff Mike Herrington posted multiple videos from atop his police vehicle Saturday night as it was swept away in the flood. He urged residents of Chaves County to stay home and seek shelter from the flooding.

“I am completely surrounded by water at this time,” he said in the video posted on Facebook. “There are multiple vehicles. I came into this not expecting that much water, and before I know it, I was swept off into this. Multiple vehicles have been swept away as well.”

The City of Roswell said on Facebook that the Roswell International Air Center was closed with all flights canceled Sunday and Monday morning, along with several other city facilities.

The National Weather Service’s Midland-Odessa Office issued a flood watch as of Sunday, continuing into the evening with storms expected to clear on Monday in Chaves County and parts of the eastern New Mexico plains.

“Widespread heavy rainfall from Saturday has saturated soil conditions across much of eastern NM. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is likely to develop this afternoon with more locally heavy rainfall,” read the flood watch.

To assist Chaves County responders, the Carlsbad Fire Department sent a five-person rescue crew at about 2 p.m. Sunday, while the Eddy County Fire Service activated a drone to assess the damage, specifically to the Rio Felix Bridge on U.S. 285.

“There is significant damage based on the pictures that we’re seeing,” said Eddy County Emergency Manager Jennifer Armendariz.

She said responders in Eddy County were continuing to work closely with those in Chaves County to keep the public informed and remained prepared for any worsening conditions.

“We’ve had several briefings. I’m working closely with the hospitals to make sure we have coverage,” she said.

As of about noon on Sunday, Armendariz said authorities were letting people out of Roswell but not into the city as U.S. 285 at the Eddy-Chaves County line remained closed. She suggested motorists find alternative routes to get south to avoid the floodwaters.

“There are ways for people to get out of Roswell that aren’t straight down 285. It makes for a longer trip but it’s possible,” Armendariz said. “If you don’t need to travel to Roswell, I would suggest not going.”