"The main reason was the South Fork Fire last year that burned directly west of Ruidoso," Grzywacz said. "The soil wasn't able to absorb any of the rainfall, and it runs right down into Ruidoso. Normally, if you had that vegetation still there, it could absorb it. For the Ruidoso monsoon season, it was above average rain but not record rainfall."

The summer rainy season in New Mexico usually brings daily alerts about the potential for flooding around the arid state.

As residents and businesspeople in Ruidoso assess the damage caused by heavy and dangerous flooding, others can find ways to help. Here is what to know.

The two children were identified as Charlotte Trotter, 4, and Sebastian Trotter, 7, according to their aunt Tiffanie Wyatt. She said their father, Sebastian Trotter, a solder based at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and their mother, Stephanie, both suffered serious injuries but survived and were receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Texas.

Flash flooding hit a New Mexico town devastated by wildfires last year, washing away at least one home and causing gas leaks, city officials said Tuesday.

A Flash Flood Emergency is in effect for Ruidoso, New Mexico, as rapid rainfall rates cause flooding in burn scars from the South Fork Fire.

Rio Ruidoso River at Hollywood, just east of Ruidoso, New Mexico, rose 20 feet in just 30 minutes around 4 p.m. Tuesday. A flash flood emergency is in effect.