AP Santa Fe, New Mexico

Monsoon rains in southern New Mexico triggered flash flooding that killed three people and was so intense that an entire house was swept downstream in a mountain village that is a popular summer retreat, officials said.

A man, a 4-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy were swept away on Tuesday by floodwaters, the village of Ruidoso said. “Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” Mayor Lynn Crawford said in the statement. “We are united in our sorrow and our commitment to supporting one another as we face this devastating loss together.” Three people had been reported missing, but it wasn’t clear early on Wednesday whether those were the same three who died. Dozens of swift water rescues were carried out.

Emergency crews carried out at least 85 swift water rescues in the Ruidoso area, including people who were trapped in their homes and cars, said Danielle Silva of the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The water had receded by Tuesday night, and search and rescue and swift water rescue teams were scouring the town for the missing people.