Doña Ana County lifts evacuation orders for Salem, Hatch, Garfield and Placitas; Rincon remains evacuated
UPDATE: 10:46PM - Doña Ana County has lifted the evacuation order for Salem, Hatch, Garfield and Placitas. The evacuation order remains in effect for Rincon.
The county is urging those returning to their home to use caution as flooding, debris, damaged roads and other hazards may remain.
UPDATE: 7:47PM - Doña Ana County has now issued an evacuation order for residents in Placitas.
UPDATE: 7:25PM - Doña Ana County has now issued an evacuation order for Hatch residents.
Residents are encouraged to use Interstate-25 as their route of evacuation.
UPDATE: 5:37PM - Doña Ana County said worsening conditions are expected and Hatch residents are asked to prepare for evacuations.
The county uses a "Ready, Set, Go" approach to how communities are prepared to evacuate.
The the three-tier approach helps residents prepare the necessary medications, documentation, food and other supplies needed to leave their homes.
Ready: residents are asked to prepare, make a plan, gather all essentials and be ready to evacuate.
Set: residents should be prepared to leave immediately. This is when conditions are developing rapidly and residents need to monitor official channels for direction on evacuation locations.
Go: residents need to evacuate immediately and follow official and recommended evacuation routes.
Doña Ana County posted:
- Prepare their GO bag with medications, identification, important documents and essential supplies.
- Identify where you will go if an evacuation becomes necessary.
- Keep your vehicle fueled and ready to leave.
- Monitor official Doña Ana County social media pages and website for official updates and potential changes to evacuation status.
- Do NOT wait until conditions worsen to begin preparing.
Rincon, Garfield, and Salem are currently on GO phase and need to use I-25 as their evacuation route.
Hatch is currently on the Ready stage and should start planning to evacuate.
UPDATE: Doña Ana County has added Rincon to the evacuation order due to the worsening weather conditions.
Authorities are urging residents in the most affected areas to seek shelter at: Radium Springs Community Resource Center, 12060 Lindbeck Rd., or the Doña Ana Community Resource Center, 5745 Ledesma Dr.
Anyone in the area is asked to use I-25 as their main route of evacuation.
All residents are urged to take essential medications, identifications, important documents, necessary supplies and clothing for children and pets.
Doña Ana County is urging residents not to wait until conditions worsen as the storms continue to hit the area.
DOÑA ANA COUNTY, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The National Weather Service has issued an urgent warning for residents to seek higher ground as a dam northwest of Hatch, New Mexico is in danger of failing from heavy rains Tuesday afternoon. County officials have also issued an evacuation warning for nearby towns.
According to the emergency notice, the flash flood warning was issued due to the potential break of the McLeod Dam. Operators of the dam reported the imminent failure of the dam, with the possibility of catastrophic damage and life threatening situations in the path of the water.
The alert is in place until 4:45 p.m. Anyone in low lying areas below the dam are instructed to move to higher ground immediately.
Doña Ana County issued an evacuation notice for the towns of Salem and Garfield in the area.
The county has set up an evacuation center for those needing shelter at the Radium Springs Community Resource Center at 12060 Lindbeck Rd.
The American Red Cross will be providing services there.
The county has added another evacuation center at the Doña Ana Community Resource Center, located at 5745 Ledesma Drive.
According to the county, residents who are evacuating should take essential medications, identification, important documents, necessary supplies and items for children and pets.
