News
For live, brief weekly updates of county news, tune in Wednesdays to the Zia Country Morning Show at approximately 7:15 a.m. at 99.5 on your dial, and on Magic 105 at approximately 7:50 a.m., and on Your Morning Show at approximately 8:15 a.m. on KVLC, 101-Gold. On Thursday mornings, you can tune in to the KGRT Morning Country Show at approximately 7:15 a.m., then on KSNM 98.7 from about 8:25-8:33, and finally on HOT 103.1's Morning Show (approx. 8:10-8:15.
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Doña Ana County roads crews have been dispatched with heavy equipment to clear debris from roads in Mesquite and Chaparral, where both communities were drenched with heavy rains in the last couple of hours.
The Las Cruces Public Schools are reporting that school buses are being turned back from the East Mesa, Radium Springs and other rural communities. Students who live in those areas are being returned to their schools in Las Cruces. Parents can pick up their children at their respective schools. Students are being urged to turn on their cell phones and contact their parents if they are affected.
The southern Doña Ana County community of Mesquite is now reporting some flooding.
Powerful, slow-moving storm cells moving through the area are likely to affect many rural communities, as well as the City of Las Cruces during the next several hours.
The Doña Ana County Flood Commission reports that runoff into arroyos near Hatch appears to be abating, and water levels are dropping in the arroyos and in the area’s flood-control dams. The situation could change quickly if heavy rains return to the area.
The New Mexico State Police are ordering all residents in low-lying areas from Rincon north to Hatch to evacuate immediately due to the threat of serious flooding. Residents in higher areas in those communities are under a voluntary evacuation recommendation.
All schools in Hatch are closed until at least Thursday, Aug. 17. Hatch Mayor Judd Nordyke is preparing to declare a disaster in the village.
The command post for emergency response in Hatch is being relocated as a result of flooding occurring at the Hatch Police Department. The Las Cruces Fire Department Mobile Command Center is on its way to Hatch from Las Cruces for base command operations. Local officials in Hatch will continue command operations from the mobile unit within the hour.
The command post for emergency response in the Hatch area has been temporarily moved to the Las Cruces Fire Department headquarters as a result of flooding occurring at the Hatch Police Department. A mobile command post will be established in Hatch as soon as possible.
The Doña Ana County Flood Commission reports that the Rio Grande is flowing at nearly 4,000 cubic feet per second, and three flood control dams near Hatch are near capacity.
Heavy flooding in and near Hatch has prompted the Doña Ana County Emergency Operations Center to activate. A command center in Hatch has been established at the Hatch Police Department.
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