A violent monsoon storm turned Ruidoso, New Mexico into a disaster zone as flash floods tore through the mountain town without warning. Homes were uprooted and swept away by raging waters, including one with a turquoise door, caught on camera floating downstream. That house belonged to a local family who survived, but their memories were washed away. Local artist Kaitlyn Carpenter, sheltering inside a brewery, filmed the heartbreaking moment her friend’s home vanished in the current. The Rio Ruidoso swelled to nearly 20 feet, possibly breaking records. Emergency responders conducted at least 85 rescues, saving people from submerged vehicles and flooded homes. Officials say last year’s wildfires left the land too scorched to absorb the downpour, intensifying the catastrophe.
