A man and two children were killed in a record-breaking flash flood that swept through a village in New Mexico on Tuesday, local officials said.

The 7-year-old and 4-year-old who died after flash flooding overtook a village in New Mexico earlier this week have been identified as Sebastian and Charlotte Trotter, the children of a U.S. army soldier,

Parts of New Mexico have experienced unprecedented and deadly flash flooding over the last few days, causing major damage. At least three people, including two children, were killed in Ruidoso.

The village of Ruidoso is located in the southern part of New Mexico and is a noted vacation spot boasting camping and recreation amid its expansive forest landscape. World Population Review notes the village rose to a total of 7,600 in 2025. That was a decrease of the population by less than 1% in recent years.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency for the village of Ruidoso, in an area that was scarred by wildfires last year.

El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson expressed condolences following the Tuesday, July 8, flash flood in Ruidoso that killed three people, including two children from a Fort Bliss family.

The neighbouring state of Texas also experienced a major flood just a few days earlier, but with a very different outcome. The ferocity of the inundation in Texas caught forecasters and state officials by surprise, killing at least 119 people.

Recent flash flooding in Texas​, New Mexico​ and North Carolina​ is highlighting the extreme danger of these natural disasters and the need to be prepared.