Severe flooding in Bloomfield has left homes submerged, families displaced and the community struggling to recover from the damage.
BLOOMFIELD, N.M. —
Heavy rains late last week caused severe flooding in Bloomfield, submerging homes and leaving families grappling with the aftermath.
“It’s terrible,” Ryan Eckmeyer said. “You can’t explain the emotions.”
On Friday morning, Eckmeyer woke up to his house submerged by water.
“It’s so much anxiety, so much pressure [and] so much stress,” he said. “We don’t even know what we’ve lost yet.”
The south side of Bloomfield was devastated by the inundation of rain, with mud now replacing what was once several feet of water.
“This is the first time it’s ever turned this entire little neighborhood into a river,” said Randy Rutledge, who has lived in his Bloomfield family home for 26 years.
The floodwaters damaged Rutledge’s home’s floorboards, which had survived generations until Thursday night.
“My kids have started growing up in this house,” Rutledge said. “So that’s sitting hard.”
Mud has seeped into backyards, knocking over items like grills and shifting structures. In Rutledge’s backyard, a shed moved an entire foot from its original location.
“We’re trying to salvage what we can, but [there’s] not much to salvage,” he said.
For the Bloomfield community, the biggest challenge now lies in recovery.
“Everybody’s wondering what they’re going to do,” Rutledge said. “Jobs around here don’t pay like they should. So they’re in the same boat.”
Eckmeyer emphasized the need for assistance.
“Help, help, help as much as you can,” he said.
