The village of Ruidoso is located in the southern part of New Mexico and is a noted vacation spot boasting camping and recreation amid its expansive forest landscape. World Population Review notes the village rose to a total of 7,600 in 2025. That was a decrease of the population by less than 1% in recent years.

As residents and businesspeople in Ruidoso assess the damage caused by heavy and dangerous flooding, others can find ways to help. Here is what to know.

The children, ages four and seven, were swept downstream by a flash flood after the Rio Ruidoso river rose to a record-setting 20 feet.

Sandbags protect a building in Ruidoso, New Mexico after floods swept through town in July of 2024. This week's floods rose significantly higher. Photo: The Washington Post

Severe thunderstorms will head east by Saturday, impacting eastern Michigan and parts of northern Indiana. Rain from 1 to 2 inches is possible as the system tracks east, but some areas could see isolated amounts of 3 to 5 inches through the weekend.

New Mexico's governor said Thursday the state has received partial approval for a federal emergency declaration for flood-damaged communities in the Ruidoso area. “This federal declaration is a critical first step,

While Ruidoso recovers from flash flooding, one of Albuquerque’s biggest animal adoption groups is stepping in to help Lincoln County’s overwhelmed animal shelter.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez and the state’s Department of Justice are warning Ruidoso residents who were affected by the flash floods about potential