Disasters · Rio Puerco floodingSocorro County flood: Woman found dead as evacuation and river warning continueAired October 28, 2026 at 1:35 AM UTCWritten October 28, 2026 at 1:43 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07Three firefighters climbed onto their vehicle's roof as flood water cut off their0:10escape.0:11Guard crews saved them, but the woman they were searching for was later found dead.0:15As of October27 , the San Francisco area remains under evacuation with another river0:20rise forecast.0:22When can residents safely return to homes that rescuers struggled to reach?0:25The Rio Puerco has cut off communities in northern Socorro County, New Mexico.0:29The affected reach runs near Bernardo in the U.S.0:32Highway60 Corridor.0:33San Francisco is the community still under evacuation.0:36La Joya was also threatened when the response began.0:39Between ten and fifteen residents were surrounded by water in the San Francisco area0:42during October twenty, six rescue operations.0:45The Valencia County Fire Department estimated.0:47Teams from that department, the National Guard, Rio Rancho Fire Rescue in Oklahoma0:52moved into homes to help.0:53That estimate described people stranded during the operation.0:56The river stood at twenty point four feet near Bernardo at eleven Tuesday morning.1:00The forecast called for twenty one point four feet Wednesday morning.1:03Those readings described the river at its gauge.1:06Residents still face a forecast rise before the expected decline.1:09Flood water washed out roads and damaged railroads, leaving rescue teams without1:13ordinary vehicle access.1:14That damage also complicates the route home.1:16A falling river can leave behind roads that still need checking, and the forecast1:21alone doesn't tell residents whether they can reach their houses safely.1:24The flood warning continued even as its severity category dropped.1:27The October26 warning described moderate flooding occurring in forecast.1:31The October27 update described minor flooding occurring in forecast.1:34Residents were still facing an active river warning.1:37San Francisco remained under evacuation in the latest October '27 account.1:41The county's earlier public message had told residents south of Highway60 , to get1:45ready.1:45That October25 alert helps explain the preparations, but it doesn't give residents a1:50return date.1:50The county told people to prepare for evacuation on October25 .1:54By October27 , the San Francisco area was still under evacuation.1:58La Joya was named among the threatened communities when help was requested, while2:02the continuing evacuation description specifically concerned San Francisco.2:06Rising water trapped the firefighters during their search for the missing woman near2:09Ramon Lopez Road in U.S.2:11Highway60 : Water overtook the road and immobilized their vehicle.2:15The rescue happened during the initial response that began after Socorro County2:18requested guard assistance on October24.2:20All three firefighters made it to safety.2:23After they climbed onto their vehicle's roof, National Guard crews reached them in a2:26tactical vehicle and brought them out.2:28Their rescue was part of the earlier response to the flooding.2:31Guard personnel then walked several miles to reach isolated residents and work out2:35an evacuation plan.2:36They located nine people and seven animals.2:38That count covers the people and animals found by that team during the operation.2:42Rescuers were working elsewhere too.2:44Rescuers carried inflatable rafts four miles on foot because vehicles couldn't2:48safely get through.2:49They first had to bring the equipment to the stranded residents, then use it to help2:53people reach safety.2:54That work continued through the night.3:02A guard rescue vehicle also became stuck in flood water during October twenty-six3:06operations.3:07A second team recovered it and continued helping residents.3:10That day, guard crews found the missing woman's body.3:13State police directed evacuations to continue while officers investigated, and3:17another guard team helped Swift water rescuers recover her body.3:21The forecast calls for the river to fall below flood stage on October twenty-nine.3:25The warning extends to midnight at the start of October thirty.3:28Its expiration time doesn't guarantee that flooding stops or that residents can3:31return.3:32The San Francisco evacuation remains in place in the latest account.3:35Officials haven't announced a return date or confirmed that access has been3:38restored.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSS
