- July monsoon floods destroyed homes and killed three in Ruidoso.
- Doña Ana County colonias saw 110 homes flooded and major infrastructure damage.
- FEMA has allocated $2.7 million in aid, including $1.6 million for housing.
- Federal disaster declaration now includes Lincoln, Doña Ana, Otero, and Mescalero Apache Nation.
Thursday, August 21, 2025 — FEMA expanded disaster aid in New Mexico after July monsoon floods killed three in Ruidoso and destroyed homes in Doña Ana County. Federal funds will help residents, tribal communities, and local governments rebuild homes, bridges, and water systems. Source NM
‘s Danielle Prokop reports on the developments in the following story, republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Federal disaster declaration extends to Doña Ana, Otero counties after monsoon floods
by Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
August 18, 2025
In the wake of further monsoon flooding in July, federal officials over the weekend extended federal disaster aid to include more residents in Southern New Mexico impacted by storms and landslides.
This summer’s deadly and devastating floods have impacted hundreds of homes across the state in separate instances. On July 9, runoff from rains over the 2024 Salt and South Fork burn scar flooded Ruidoso’s rivers and killed three people, including two children; required the rescues of dozens of people; and swept away homes and cars. On July 22, monsoon rains in the deserts of Doña Ana flooded the colonias of Vado around the Rio Grande, flooding at least 110 homes and wrecking infrastructure.
The National Weather Service office in Albuquerque issued a notice that flash flooding risk is high in Ruidoso on Monday through 9 p.m.
With the lack of vegetation and non-absorbant soils in the burn scars, flooding is occurring with very little rain in the Sacramento Mountains around the town, said Todd Shoemake, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service.
“Our forecast models are indicating pretty heavy rainfall rates, probably raining as much as one to two inches per hour,” he said.
‘We’re just here to pick up the pieces’: Ruidoso digs out in the aftermath of flooding
So far, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated $2.7 million for damages related to the floods in New Mexico, including $1.6 million for housing assistance. FEMA has approved 235 requests for individual assistance in the state.
According to the federal disaster declaration updated on Saturday, people affected by floods in Doña Ana and Otero counties, along with the Mescalero Apache Nation, will be able to apply for funds for individual housing needs.
The Aug. 16 amendment will also allow governments to apply for reimbursement for permanent repairs in Lincoln, Doña Ana county and Otero counties, including for the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
Local officials in Lincoln and Doña Ana counties have said they’ll need federal funds to rebuild infrastructure such as bridges or sewer and water services, with initial damage estimates in the tens of millions.
More information.
Residents can apply for assistance online at disasterassistance.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-3362. After applying for assistance, FEMA may require an inspection to verify the disaster-related damages.
Source New Mexico is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Source New Mexico maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Goldberg for questions: info@sourcenm.com.
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