El Paso motorists battle high water amid flash floods on roads

EL PASO, Texas -- A Flash Flood Warning was in effect for El Paso until 7 p.m. Monday after heavy rainfall deluged the Borderland throughout the afternoon.

In west El Paso, high water due to local drainage problems flooded Paisano and Executive, stranding some motorists who were unable to pass through the rising water on the roadway.

Also in west El Paso at Doniphan and Sunland, a sinkhole was reported amidst high water; while it turned out that there wasn't a sinkhole, rather it was a large amount of mud that washed down the roads, the situation still snarled traffic.

In east El Paso, Edgemere Boulevard from Lee Treviño Drive to Red Sails Drive was closed due to flooding.

In Canutillo, 1st Street from Park Avenue to West Street was closed due to flooding as was the 7100 block of Doniphan Drive.

The El Paso Office of Emergency Management warned that even a few inches of moving water could be dangerous, with murky conditions potentially concealing hazards such as potholes and debris. Officials noted that a vehicle can slip off the edge of the road, puncture a tire, or become high-centered on a submerged log.

Emergency management leaders also pointed out the dangerous force of moving flood waters: "A slow stream moves at about 4 miles an hour – a good walking pace. At this speed, water exerts 66 pounds of force per square foot of surface area on anything in its path."

Officials emphasized that even when driving a large vehicle, like a truck or SUV, fast-moving water can easily overcome it.

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