EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) —As the mountain community of Ruidoso begins to recover from historic flooding, local business owners are grappling with massive losses, both emotional and financial.
Among them is Arnold Duke, owner of the Ruidoso Trading Post, who says his business was nearly wiped out when floodwaters rushed through an off-site extension of their main store.
“We had millions of dollars of jewelry here. We lost about half, and we’re still digging stuff out of the mud,” Duke said.
The floodwaters came fast and without warning. Surveillance video shows water rising rapidly inside the building, swallowing the entire lower level where the inventory was housed.
Inside, the ceilings stretch nearly 10 feet high, but now, the floor is filled with more than 3 feet of mud and debris. A waterline etched onto the walls shows just how high the water rose.
While the main Ruidoso Trading Post location in Midtown was spared, Duke says this separate extension used to handle wholesale and online business was critical to their operations.
This isn’t the first time the business has dealt with flooding; the area saw damage last year, but Duke says this time was different.
“Last year, we had the 100-year flood. Well, this year, I don’t know, the thousand-year flood, I guess,” he said.
Duke says three of his employees were inside when the water started pouring in, but managed to escape just before the building was flooded.
“It’s just difficult. We’re all struggling, but we’re strong people,” Duke said.
Just down the road, La Salsa Kitchen, a family-owned restaurant in the village, also sustained major damage.
Floodwaters swept through the building, leaving behind a thick layer of mud and destroying much of the dining and kitchen areas. A waterline still visible outside the restaurant marks how far the water rose.
The owners say they’re now working to salvage what they can and brace for the long road ahead.
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