Flooding in Belen

The premature Southwestern summer monsoon is tapering off right now - it'll revive again later - but it has caused some problems:

BELEN – A monsoon season storm ravaged Belen as between 2.95 and 3.2 inches of rain fell in a matter of two hours Tuesday night, causing extensive flooding.

The downpour caused a breach of the Highline Canal at Delgado Avenue, sending water into Belen, and damaging roads, homes and businesses.

No serious injuries were reported, but the flooding caused plenty of property damage and stranded motorists, according to city officials.

The deluge began around 8:40 p.m., and city crews were immediately out dealing with the emergency.

...At about 9:30 p.m., the city received reports that the Highline Canal at Delgado Avenue near Belen High School had been breached, sending tons of water into the city.

“It busted a huge hole on the east side of the Highline Canal and it took us about seven hours to repair (it),” Cordova said.

While the breach of the Highline Canal caused water to flow into and flood the streets of Belen, other areas were affected directly by the heavy rains.

A new breach was discovered Wednesday morning along the New Belen Ditch on Mesa Road, about a quarter mile from the city’s northern boundary in the county.