World enews: Children among 200 people rescued from Carlsbad Caverns after being stranded by flooding

About 200 people have been rescued from Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico after becoming stranded in flash floods, officials say.

Tourists and staff at the park’s visitor centre and caravan park were ordered to shelter-in-place on Saturday after roads became impassible.

The Eddy County Office of Emergency Management said in an update that more than 200 had been evacuated from the visitor’s centre just before midnight on Saturday.

It advised anyone still stranded in cars against trying to cross flooded roads.

“Please think before attempting to go through low water crossings. Turn around! Don’t drown!”

Robert and Stephanie Saavedra told KOAT they had struggled to find food and water after becoming stranded in the national park with their three young children.

“We’ve been asking about food and water, since we have three small kids,” Stephanie Saavedra, from Albuquerque, told the station.

“They don’t even know about food and water for us. We’re just walking around and waiting.”

Due to flooding, the road to the visitor center and cavern will be closed tomorrow (Sunday). The visitor center and cavern will also be closed. Maintenance crews will begin to assess and clean debris from the roadway. Check this site for updates. pic.twitter.com/SiPORK0xhc

— Carlsbad Caverns NPS (@CavernsNPS) August 21, 2022

The Caverns are closed until further notice.

Several states are under a flooding alert after days of torrential rain.

In Utah, more than 20 emergency responders are searching for Jetal Agnihotri, 29, after she went missing while hiking in Zion National Park on Friday.