New Mexico Acting Governor Declares Emergency Due to Floods

New Mexico Acting Gov. Howie Morales declared a state of emergency on Sept. 30 over flooding that has hit communities across the state from the remnants of Hurricane Polo.

Morales signed five executive orders, each freeing up $750,000 in immediate state assistance. Together, they put up to $3.75 million in the hands of the state’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for response and recovery, according to the governor’s office.

“Communities across New Mexico need help staving off these torrential floodwaters, and they need it now,” Morales said.

Heavy rain has damaged public infrastructure, cut transportation routes, and threatened homes and businesses. With more rain forecast, local agencies that have run out of money to respond to the emergency will receive support from the state, Morales said.

Executive Orders 2026-073 through 2026-077 direct the Department of Finance and Administration to release the funds. The money can go toward temporary lodging, shelter, healthcare, food, and transportation. The orders also allow the adjutant general to send the New Mexico National Guard if local authorities need the help.

To receive aid, local governments must show that their response costs have exceeded their available resources.

Residents have been urged to follow local instructions, leave immediately if ordered to evacuate, and never drive, walk, or swim through floodwater.

Parts of the state were under evacuation orders.

Doña Ana County on Tuesday urged residents and visitors in Placitas, Hatch, Rincon, Salem, and Garfield to leave before conditions worsened.

By Wednesday, Doña Ana County had lifted evacuation orders for all of the communities except Rincon.

“Residents in Rincon who evacuated should not return home at this time due to the dangers of standing floodwaters,” Doña Ana County said, describing conditions in the area as “unsafe.”

Officials warned that in the Doña Ana County communities where evacuation orders have been canceled, people should remain alert for dangerous conditions.

“Flooding, debris, damaged roads and other hazards may remain,” the notice states.

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for northwestern Doña Ana County after dam operators warned that McLeod Dam was at risk of imminent failure. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) said officials had warned that the dam’s failure could potentially lead to “life-threatening flooding downstream.”

Doña Ana County spokesperson Ariana Parra told the Albuquerque Journal on Tuesday evening that a “very small piping failure” had been mitigated and water was no longer exiting the dam.

On Wednesday, the Hatch Valley Public School District closed its schools.

“Due to the recent heavy rains, we are aware that many of our families are being impacted by impassable roads, flooding, and limited transportation,” the district said.

The state Transportation Department reported flooded roads and debris on highways.

In Ruidoso, emergency managers on Tuesday issued a voluntary evacuation notice for Upper Canyon due to the risk of flood-related landslides. They canceled the notice on Wednesday, citing no observed impacts to the hillside and minimal impacts from river flooding.

Doña Ana County opened an online damage-assessment portal Wednesday for residents to report damage to property and businesses. Officials said the reports would help document the flooding’s impact on homes, vehicles, and other property.

The National Hurricane Center said on Sept. 28 that remnants of Polo were expected to push northeast out of Mexico into the U.S. Southwest and Southern High Plains over the next day, bringing “heavy rainfall and flooding potential.”

Aldgra Fredly and The Associated Press contributed to this report.