Winds prompt emergency in Cloudcroft

CLOUDCROFT, N.M. (KBIM-KRQE) - The village of Cloudcroft on Tuesday declared a weather emergency after severe winds knocked out power and severely damaged homes, businesses and vehicles.

In a declaration Tuesday, the village said officials have to use emergency generators to power the water supply and sewer pumps.

The state Emergency Management Center said power is out in the village as well as landline phones.

Carroll Waggoner, general manager of the Otero County Electric Co-Op, said high sustained winds toppled many pine trees in the area, some of which are very large, knocking out the main power line coming from Alamogordo as well as many other smaller lines.

Power was knocked out to as many as 4,000 customers in the Cloudcroft, Mayhill and Weed areas, Waggoner said.