National Guard Expands Deployment

EL PASO, Texas (AP) – The Texas National Guard is expanding its emergency operations in the El Paso area in the wake of severe flooding.

The Guard announced last night that it’s adding Canutilloto its deployments. The Guard is already assisting the flood response in Socorro and Vinton south of El Paso.

Soldiers have been filling sandbags for town residents to use to protect their properties.

They’ve also been doing damage assessments, clearing debris and helping state highway crews pump water from hardest-hit areas.

U-S Customs has reopened El Paso’s downtown ports of entry from Mexico Friday.

International bridges from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, were closed last Thursday night because of the flood threat from a weakened earthen dam nearby in Juarez.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) AP-NY-08-04-06 1233EDT