Cloudcroft reels from devastating wind

CLOUDCROFT, N.M. (KRQE) - The village of Cloudcroft remained shrouded in darkness Tuesday night after fierce winds downed trees, wrecked buildings and knocked out power earlier in the day.

Emergency authorities are still tallying the damage and said it could be at least two days before full power is restored.

Authorities said mid-morning wind gusts of 60 mph--other sources said 80-100 mph--blew dozens of trees into homes, cars and power lines around the community of 1,100 residents in the Sacramento Mountains.

Emergency responders, including chainsaw crews from the U.S. Forest Service, were called in to help clean up the mess.

“It’s everything from trees that broke through windows to trees that have fallen down and smashed houses, destroyed them, roofs peeled off,” Cloudcroft Mayor Dave Venable told KRQE News 13. “I have a building downtown, and it tore the whole front of the building off.”

As a result of the power outage authorities went door-to-door on Tuesday encouraging residents to evacuate off the mountain and 20 miles to the Alamogordo Civic Center where a temporary emergency shelter has been set up. There have been no reported injuries as a result of the windy weather.

Despite the call for evacuations, some residents planned on toughing out the cold weather.

“We have two wood-burning stoves, but now we realize we really do need a generator in case of these things,” Silvia Alavacon told News 13.

Anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 homes in surrounding area lost power on Tuesday. The main power transmission line into the village was knocked out when at least one tree toppled onto it.

Authorities don’t yet have a count on potentially dozens of street lines that are down.

“A lot of it remains to be done,” village emergency spokesman Tom Reilly told News 13. “Several structures have been hit and damaged.

"We’ll be getting back at it come morning.”