Socorro declares local disaster

Residents in Socorro are still dealing with the aftermath of last weeks rain and floods.

The City of Socorro has declared a local disaster.

The city manager toldABC-7 that allows the city to access private roads and aid in clean-up.

ABC-7caught up with some of those families hardest hit.

Some residents of Socorrowere covered in mud a week after getting hit by flash floods.

They’re trying to go back into their homes and recover anything they can.

Humberto Solis told ABC-7 he looked out if his window last Thursday morning only to see it sprinkling.

Then he heard a loud sound. The walls of the arroyo behind his home gave way bring down a mudslide.

Solissays the mud came up to the windows within 2 minutes it broke the glass and caved in the doors.

Solis told ABC-7 had to use and axe to get out of the door.

Neighborhood residents walkeddown the streetwith containers salvaging anything they could, some with boxes filled with muddy dished.

Further into the neighborhood, cars buried deep in mud.

Solis holds his daughter with his hands caked indirt.

He tells ABC-7 hewas working on getting his car out all day, but it was pointless, the engines are caked with mud.

18 families had to leave there homes in the area.

Solis sadly tellsABC-7he doesn’t don’t know whathis family is going to do now.

ABC-7spoke to county commissioner Vince Perez. Hesaid they are in efforts to make a declaration of disaster for the whole lower valley area but they first have to asses the damage which is still being done.

Federal guidelines say the cost of the damage must be more than 2.5 million dollars to provide disaster relief and officials are not still not sure the damages will reach that amount.