
Luna County Sheriff’s Department Chief Arturo Baeza told KOTS/KDEM News that a microburst hit the Village of Columbus at around 10pm Tuesday causing mobile homes to overturn, ripping roofs off buildings, and causing power outages in the Village.
A microburst is described as a very localized column of sinking air, producing damaging straight-line winds at the surface that are similar to tornadoes. A microburst often has high winds that can knock over fully grown trees. They usually last for a duration of a couple of seconds to several minutes.
No serious injuries were reported but local property damage was extensive. Columbus Electric Co-op had power restored to most Columbus customers within hours of the storm. Emergency service organizations provided shelter at the Columbus Civic Center and the Red Cross gave vouchers for motel rooms in Deming.