New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) has authorized $1.5 million in emergency spending to help Mora County residents recover from recent flooding, according to a news release from her office.
Heavy rainfall between Aug. 26 and 27 caused flood damages on public and private property, according to the governor’s office. The flooding disrupted essential services such as transportation, emergency response and utilities, according to an emergency order the governor signed.
The order cites continued damage from the 2022 Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, which burned a 485-square-mile area, including much of Mora County, in northern New Mexico.
County officials have requested the state’s help with procuring sandbags, along with emergency county-road repair and swift water rescue teams, according to the governor’s office.
National Weather Service reports show that flash flooding caused small creeks to flow above their banks in at least eight places along Highway 518, a major roadway, north of Cleveland, NM. Reports also show “extreme damage” to NM 434 prompted emergency responders to close it for repairs.
The emergency orders fund $750,000 apiece to the state’s emergency management and military affairs departments, according to the governor’s office. The governor can also authorize new funding, $750,000 at a time, as needed.
Post-fire flooding has occurred repeatedly in and around the burn scar since the 2022 wildfire, which is the biggest in New Mexico history. Those who see damaged or lost property due to flooding are eligible for compensation from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Fire Assistance Act, a $5.45 billion fund Congress created in late 2022.
The governor’s office said those who have an outstanding claim with the claims office should reach out to their “navigators,” who help claimants through the process, if they have damages from the flooding. — Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
