RUIDOSO, N.M. – For the third day in a row, the Village of Ruidoso is bracing for rain and possible flooding after a brutal day Wednesday.

FEMA closed the Disaster Recovery Centers early again Thursday afternoon. They plan to reopen Friday at 7 a.m.

Video shows the water flowing down a busy part of the village Wednesday, and damage and destruction is left behind for an area that can’t handle anymore. Flooding also hit the community of Cherokee Mobile Village. 

A flash flood emergency was in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday. Officials closed down many roads, including Highway 70 due to flooding. According to the National Guard, part of Highway 70 collapsed.

Paradise at Hull, Paradise at Phillips Circle, Paradise at Country Club, Main Road at South 3 and Sleepy Hollow are the roads that remain closed.

Two Ruidoso residents told us they were working when the floods forced the highway to close. They say they were told to leave.

“The water looked like it was at a high level and it was very very ugly,” one resident said in Spanish.

KOB 4 spoke to village officials who say some of those areas could see a lot of damage because of the burn scar.

“It’s real. It’s almost like a quicksand once it settles, and then it’s within that it’s not, just like some small rocks and small limbs. I mean, we’re talking like downed trees that were burned in the fire or that were weak that as this goes by, it takes them down,” said Kerry Gladden, a spokesperson for the Village of Ruidoso. 

Gladden told us they are in their second week of monsoon season and residents should expect to see more flooding.

Village officials also want folks to keep in mind is how quickly it all can happen.

“I don’t think people realize unless they’ve been through it. They don’t realize how quickly the water is upon you. And so, like the first flooding event that we had from the first raindrop to when it hit Upper Canyon was 15 minutes,” Gladden said.

The combination of the two new burn scars, plus the old ones, cause the streets to fill up pretty quickly.

“It’s almost like a quicksand once it settles, and then it’s within that. It’s not just like some small rocks and small limbs. I mean, we’re talking like downed trees that were burned in the fire,” Gladden said.

Upper Canyon reopened to residents to the second bridge Friday. Anything beyond the second bridge was discouraged as crew try to clean up the larger debris.

Sandbags are available at Fire Station 2, Wingfield Park, and All American Park in Ruidoso Downs. There is a group of EcoServants filling bags at Wingfield Park and Fire Station 2. Community volunteers are filling bags at All American Park.

There is a free community dinner Friday from 5-6:30 p.m. at Eleanor Catholic Church in Ruidoso Downs.