Cemetary Flood Damage in El Paso Area

SAN ELIZARIO, Texas (AP) — Cleanup has begun at some West Texas cemeteries damaged during last week's heavy rain that loosened ground and toppled headstones.
The El Paso Times (http://bit.ly/196OWT5 ) reported Tuesday that a 100-foot-wide pond has formed at the San Elizario cemetery run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso. Jorge Vergen with Catholic Properties says officials first dealt with rainfall and then a water main broke Sunday and contributed to flooding.

Vergen says the diocese has also been trying to fix sunken graves at its cemeteries in Canutillo, Sierra Blanca and Dell City.

The Fort Bliss National Cemetery also suffered flood damage to hundreds of gravesites. Director Andrew Matthews estimates repair costs of about $20,000.

Forecasters say the El Paso area received more than 3 inches of rain over four days.

Information from: El Paso Times, http://www.elpasotimes.com