Officials in New Mexico issued mandatory evacuations due to heavy rain and flash flood warnings, setting up shelters for displaced residents.
The National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency on Friday night until early Saturday, affecting areas such as Las Vegas and communities near Albuquerque.
By late Friday, up to 2 inches of rain had fallen, with an additional 1.5 inches expected overnight, according to the weather service. Flash flooding led to multiple road closures on the north and west sides of Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas municipal government announced mandatory evacuations through social media, urging residents to prepare for overnight stays. Shelters were available on the west and east sides of the city.
Residents were asked to conserve water, and rumors of water dams breaking were debunked by the city, confirming that the dams were intact.
New Mexico also faced devastating wildfires this week, resulting in two fatalities and displacing thousands. The South Fork and Salt fires in south-central New Mexico destroyed or damaged around 1,400 structures. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham planned to survey the disaster area on Saturday.
Related: Raging wildfires push New Mexico residents and animals to neighboring shelters
