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McLeod Dam breach threat prompts evacuations
KOAT • • nation
Key Points:
- Heavy rains caused unprecedented flooding along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, leading to the evacuation of the villages of Hatch, Rincon, and Garfield due to overtopping dams and overflowing streams.
- Alessandra Analis, a farmer in Garfield, reported her family's crops were submerged and expressed surprise at the sudden and intense flooding after a long wait for water.
- Officials warned that McLeod Dam is in imminent danger of breaching, prompting evacuations and efforts to clear debris from nearby roads by the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
- The flooding has raised concerns reminiscent of the devastating Hatch flood of 2006, with residents hoping that remaining dams and levees will hold amid ongoing heavy rains.
- Authorities conducted door-to-door evacuations in Hatch, emphasizing the severity of the situation and the potential risks if the flooding worsens overnight.
