RUIDOSO, N.M.—Another afternoon of heavy rainfall Thursday prompted flash flooding in the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing the closure of roads and the rescue of at least five people who were trapped by the rushing water.
The southern New Mexico community has been reeling this summer, with afternoon thunderstorms bringing more rain than the surrounding mountainsides can handle. Past wildfires have stripped the hills of trees and vegetation, leaving the Ruidoso area vulnerable to repeated flooding.
It was less than three weeks ago that massive flooding killed three people and damaged hundreds of homes, resulting in state and federal disaster declarations….