Historic rainfall damages gravesites in Anthony

ANTHONY, New Mexico - Intense rainfall left behinds dozens of sunken graves in Anthony.

“It’s sad," said Patsy Padilla, who was grateful to learn her father-in-law's gravesite was not damaged. "We’re relieved. But at the same time, sad for these people."

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Much of the cemetery was still caked in mud on Tuesday. Multiple families visited the cemetery to check on their loved ones' memorials.

Two families told ABC-7 that they were upset by what had happened, but neither family wanted to speak on camera.

“We had a lot of water," said Javier Barrios, who fixed many of the plots and put fresh soil on multiple sites. "Those rains left a lot of damage here in the cemetery.”

Barrios, who has worked in the cemetery for 24 years, estimated that at least 40 gravesites had been damaged.

"Some people thank us and we appreciate that," Barrios said. "We feel proud to fix them."