UPDATE: The Village of Ruidoso allowed Upper Canyon residents to access their properties Wednesday morning but will clear the area again at 10 a.m. MDT due to expected rains and more flooding.
According the the Village of Ruidoso's official website, evacuation orders were issued for Cedar Creek, Upper Canyon, Brady Canyon, areas along the Rio Ruidoso, and at Paradise Canyon and Hull due to flash floods.
Residents were urged to not try to protect property or gather belongings, and to get out and move to higher ground immediately.
An evacuation shelter was established at the White Mountain Relief Center at 687 Hull Road (White Mountain Sports Complex).
Village officials announced that flooding caused multiple gas leaks throughout the Village. They warn residents to stay away from gas smells and report the issue to Zia Natural Gas at 800-520-4277 or 575-378-4277.
The Village announced that all bridge crossings in Ruidoso were closed due to flooding shortly before 3:30 p.m.
Bridges closed Tuesday:
* Paradise Canyon and Meander
* Gavilan Canyon Road between Meander and Sutton
* Brady Canyon and Mechem
* Paradise Canyon and Hull
* Eagle Drive
* Upper Canyon bridges
This is a developing story. This story was updated at 9 a.m. Wednesday.