Dozens of families in Socorro have been forced out of their homes after an arroyo broke and sent floodwater pouring into their neighborhood, with some residents reporting about three feet of water inside their houses. The brunt of the damage hit Coker Road, where crews spent an entire day scooping mud and water out of the area as displaced families scrambled to find somewhere to stay.
Multiple people were displaced after the arroyo break, according to KFOX14, which reported that crews worked throughout the day to clear the mess left behind. The Red Cross has stepped in to assist the displaced families, the station reported, and residents said this is not the first time floodwater from the area's arroyos has torn through their neighborhood — a similar flood struck Socorro back in 2013.
Dozens Displaced, City Declares Disaster
The scale of the flooding pushed Socorro's interim mayor to take formal action. Interim Mayor Rene Rodriguez signed a document declaring the city to be in a state of disaster, per the same KFOX14 account, after dozens of residents were forced from their homes due to the rain and severe flooding. Some of those displaced, including a resident named Snowden and her family, have been staying at a Red Cross shelter set up with cots at the Rio Vista Center, while the city works to find suitable housing assistance for those who lost their homes.
For now, the danger hasn't passed. Residents remained on high alert for the next 72 hours as more rain was expected to hit their neighborhoods, the station's report noted, adding another layer of anxiety for families still cleaning up from the initial break.
Residents Say They've Pleaded for Help for Years
Long before this latest flood, families along Coker Road say they've lived with recurring flooding from two nearby arroyos, a problem they describe as generations old. KTSM 9 News reports that resident Pablo Acosta said he has reached out to the City, the mayor, the County and various departments about the flooding, without getting a resolution. Acosta said he has taken matters into his own hands, regularly working to build up the walls of the arroyo himself to protect his family and neighbors.
Some residents believe the floodwaters are being funneled from a newer building development in Horizon, across Interstate 10, though that cause has not been independently verified. El Paso County Commissioner for Precinct 3 Iliana Holguin, in comments to the outlet, acknowledged the ongoing flooding issues facing residents in the area and said the county has been pursuing a solution for flooding coming from north of the freeway, tied in part to development there.
County Says Funding Secured, Work Underway
Holguin said the county obtained funding for the project several years ago, though design, architectural and environmental processes still had to be completed before construction could begin. She said the work on the arroyo is happening right now, describing the projects as a priority the county set years ago, and pointed residents to the county's arroyo projects labeled SOC1 and SOC2 for more information.
The flooding fits a pattern that has plagued the Lower Valley for years. Back in August 2017, flooding caused home evacuations in Socorro, and just days earlier that same summer, a mudslide in Clint killed farm animals, buried cars and caused other damage, according to the El Paso Times. Lower Valley residents told the paper at the time that flooding had worsened and grown more frequent over the years in the region's small towns.
Part of a Wider Southwest Monsoon Pattern
The flooding in Socorro comes amid a broader run of dangerous storms across the Southwest. The region's flash flooding has unfolded during the Southwest monsoon season, which typically runs from mid-June through September and pulls shifting moisture into the region to fuel thunderstorms, according to CNN. Unusually potent storms have triggered flash floods across the normally arid region, killing at least three people in New Mexico and forcing water rescues, per the same report.
For families on Coker Road, the wider weather pattern offers little comfort as they wait for repairs and watch the skies for the next round of rain. With arroyo work reportedly underway and more storms in the forecast, residents say they're left hoping the county's projects arrive before the next flood does.
