Broken tree limbs, twisted metal, crumpled cars and muddy debris remained as crews worked to clear roads and culverts in the wake of Tuesday's flash flood that killed three people — including two children — and significantly damaged as many as 50 homes, with one home carried away entirely.

The flash flood emergency was declared about 3 p.m. on Tuesday by the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.

Raging floodwaters in Ruidoso in southern New Mexico killed at least three people, including two children overnight according to authorities. Officials confirmed a Fort Bliss soldier and their spouse are in the hospital with serious injuries and that their two children are among the dead.

The summer rainy season in New Mexico usually brings daily alerts about the potential for flooding around the arid state.

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