4 Persons Drown In Arroyo Flood, Lincoln County, NM

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Submitted by: Yolanda R. Chavez <Helkias1492 at aol.com>
        Date: 23 Jun 2015
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/nm/lincoln/lincoln.htm
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ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL JULY 20, 1944
4 PERSONS DROWN IN ARROYO FLOOD
CARRIZOZO JULY 19

A flash flood swept five persons---members of two brother families from a stalled
automobile in an arroyo late Tuesday, with a toll of four dead. The fifth, Daniel Chavez,
of Duran, escaped. He was severely injured by and eight-foot wall of water which hurtled
hid down the usually dry wash for two miles. His clothing was torn form his body.

The dead were identified form Chavez' reports as follows: His wife, Nabolena Duran, 17,
his brother's wife, Ramona, age 22, whose bodies were found several miles down the arroyo
on Tuesday night. His brother, Emiliano Chavez about 30, whose body was recovered late
Wednesday. Daniel and Nabolena's year old baby daughter, Dora, for whose body the search
continues.

All lived in Duran, a small community about 70 miles north of Carrizozo. Daniel Chavez was
brought there early Wednesday and placed under a physician's care. Eutemio Chavez and his
family had gone to Morenci Arizona to get Daniel and his wife and bring them home to
Duran. When the party reached the arroyo, six miles south of Carrizozo on US Highway 54,
they found water running, but it was not raining and Eutemio tried to drive across. The
motor stalled. The brothers were attempting to get the auto started again when a wall of
water eight feet high struck without warning. Apparently it was a run off from a
cloudburst over the hills to the east.

FAMILY NOTE: (The body of baby Dora was recovered three days later by her great-uncles
from Morenci and Duran)