New Mexico Governor Seeks Federal Major Disaster Declaration: 604 Homes Damaged in Northern Floods
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on November 2 asked President Trump to declare the October 22-30 flooding in northern New Mexico a federal major disaster so that residents can receive federal assistance. The request was made public on November 3. In a statement, the governor said the state has used every available resource for the response and now needs the federal government to do its part to help families who lost their homes rebuild, urging the federal government to approve the request without delay.
If approved, residents of San Juan, Cibola, Socorro and Santa Fe counties and of the Acoma and Laguna pueblos could apply for federal funds for home repairs, rent and temporary housing. The state is also seeking reimbursement for San Juan, Cibola, Rio Arriba, Socorro and Valencia counties and the Acoma and Laguna pueblos for debris removal, emergency response and repairs to public infrastructure including roads, bridges and water facilities, as well as funding for hazard-mitigation projects statewide.
The flooding began on October 22. Swift-water rescue teams have rescued at least 36 people; San Juan County ordered more than 5,000 residents to evacuate; the Rio Chama rose above major flood stage, forcing 31 households to evacuate; and U.S. Highways 64 and 84 were closed for a time. As of November 2, 190 people remained at the American Red Cross shelter at McGee Park in Farmington. Preliminary assessments show 604 homes damaged or destroyed, including 353 destroyed or with major damage, and the figure could climb to 2,000 as assessments continue. Road and bridge repairs are expected to cost more than $40 million, agricultural losses are near $42 million, and total losses are expected to exceed $200 million. The governor has signed 73 emergency executive orders making more than $54 million available for the response. Heavy rain on November 1 again raised the San Juan, Animas and La Plata rivers; San Juan County again ordered evacuations within half a mile of the riverbanks, and State Road 170 was closed after its roadbed was washed out.
Source: Office of the Governor of New Mexico
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：新墨西哥州议会大厦，位于 Santa Fe（Jim Bowen，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons）。 / Photo: The New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe (Jim Bowen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
