New Mexico National Guard respond to Hatch flooding, rescue woman

HATCH, New Mexico (KVIA) - Members of the New Mexico National Guard assisted local first responders with flood related responses in Dona Ana County and other areas of southern New Mexico beginning Tuesday.

According to a release, guardsmen helped rescue a woman who was trapped in her vehicle in an arroyo near Hatch.

Using a high-water capable vehicle, guardsmen drove into the arroyo with two fire personnel to reach the stranded vehicle. The emergency responders were then able to get the woman out of her vehicle and take her to the Hatch fire station.

The national guard also responded to a report of a house with a collapsed roof in Rincon, offering assistance to fire personnel that entered the home.

In the Ruidoso area, emergency officials monitored severe weather conditions and a flood watch in place through this morning.

Guardsmen also helped the local fire department in Veguita with pulling out a vehicle stuck in the mud, just south of Albuquerque.

The New Mexico National Guard Joint Operations Center continues coordinating Guard personnel, equipment and response capabilities across the state in support of state and local agencies.