Mora County commission makes disaster declaration after flooding washed out roads

Some residents of Mora County were stranded in their mountain communities after the road in was washed away by flooding from heavy rains overnight Tuesday.

N.M. 434 is closed five miles north of Mora, from mile marker 5 to mile marker 8, while crews work to repair the road, according to the state Department of Transportation.

“Roadway is closed until further notice. Crews are working to perform repairs; Detours are in place,” NMDOT said in a Facebook post around noon Wednesday.

The Mora County Commission on Wednesday morning declared a local disaster, saying the storm had washed out “several county roads, and left some individuals stranded in affected areas.”

A news release from the commission said crews were working to fix the roadways, assist anyone impacted by flooding and “ensure access to essential services.”

“We urge residents to avoid flooded areas, follow all emergency advisories, and check on neighbors who may need help,” according to the release.

The release states the disaster declaration allows the county to mobilize resources and request state and federal support “to protect lives, property and public infrastructure.”

It was not immediately clear if any homes had been damaged or people had been injured as a result of the flooding.

Meteorologist Nico Porcelli, with the National Weather Service, said some of the heaviest rainfall recorded in the area was .69 of an inch near Chacon.

He said the monsoon shower dropped the most rain between 5 and 9 p.m.

Porcelli said the amount of rain that fell was “pretty typical,” but the area is still vulnerable to flooding because of the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar. He said the area is showing some signs of recovery, as they have received fewer reports of flash flooding than in previous years.

Porcelli said that’s because a lot of new vegetation has grown in the damaged area this summer and is absorbing more rainfall.