72 hours of continuous heavy rain caused severe flooding in many parts of New Mexico. According to the latest report from the state emergency management department, as of 8 a.m. today, nine counties in the state have activated emergency response mechanisms, and more than 30,000 residents have been forced to evacuate.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said at a press conference: “This is the most severe flood challenge of this century. We have mobilized the National Guard to participate in the rescue and applied for disaster assistance from the federal government.” The meteorological department warned that there will be continuous heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours.
David Gomez, director of the Climate Research Center at the University of New Mexico, pointed out: “This extreme weather is directly related to global climate change. We have observed a 37% increase in the frequency of short-term heavy rainfall in the region over the past decade.”
