Roswell Faces Sudden and Deadly Flash Flooding; Community Assesses Damage, Roadways, and Arts Spaces
Record-breaking rain leads to two deaths, hundreds of rescues, and "500 million dollars" in damages. Local artist and gallery owner delivers art space updates.
Historic rainfall in Roswell, New Mexico, caused a massive flash flood that lasted through the night on Saturday, October 19th, until the next morning.
Sadly, the waters claimed two lives and forced hundreds of rescues, raging and causing damage across the city of Roswell and surrounding areas.
The Aftermath
The National Guard is assessing damages, and Chaves County Health Services representative Kerry Moore says,
“What the city just put out at their meeting just a few minutes ago is we are a 500-year flood, not a 100-year flood, so it’s been a little bit longer than what they’re anticipating. They also, they’re looking at 500 million dollars in damages, and that is city services as well as private services.”
The city of Roswell asks that residents stay off roadways as much as possible at this time due to unknown damages to area bridges. From Source NM:
“Roswell Mayor Tim Jennings said he’s working with state officials to assess bridge conditions, saying he has concerns about “eight to ten of them,” describing rivers crossing over them.”
Roswell Arts Spaces: An Update
Roswell is known for its vibrant arts scene, with several museums and cultural centers. Unfortunately, the Roswell Museum and Art Center sustained damages due to flooding.
Roswell local and artist Miranda Howe, who owns and operates the Bone Springs Art Space, announced on social media: “The river completely ran through the (Roswell Museum and Art Center) galleries, ruining artwork, archives, (and) the planetarium. It’s devastating. I’m still dumbfounded that such a torrent could rage through our High Desert community.”
Howe also gave an update on other Roswell art spaces, including her own, saying, “Bone Springs Art Space turned into a lake with its own swimming hole on Saturday, but thankfully only a couple inches flooded into the basement where I have my classes. Dad and I got it all pumped out, and now it’s just mopping and cleaning, but no real damage as far as I can tell.”
According to Howe, the Anderson Museum, home to the world-renowned RAiR (Roswell Artist-in-Residence) program, was “thankfully untouched.”
Howe spoke with Cloudcroft Reader, saying:
“As far as the arts community goes, it seems like everybody's really rallied together. Many of the artists-in-residence have gone to different locations, the Roswell Museum and studios and homes to help. There's a lot of community support.
Everybody's just still kind of reeling and baffled, I think, at the extent of damage for private homes and businesses. It's just, I’m really heart sick for the community. Everybody's just, in their own way, doing what they can do in their areas and and helping out as they can.
It's a special community here.”