Woman Sadly Dies After Getting Swept Away On Franklin Mountains

The rain has been wreaking havoc in El Paso for the last few days, and sadly yesterday, a female hiker died after being swept away as water gushed down the Franklin Mountains.

According to KVIA TV, fire officials reported that a 39-year-old woman visiting from Austin died after slipping and falling down the mountain and was swept away by the heavy rainfall. Rescue crews and the El Paso Fire Department search and rescue team ended up recovering the woman's body near the 1000 block of Thunderbird in west El Paso after another person with her called 911.

The downpour was so bad today that crews were on I-10 off the Sunland Park exit collecting all the dirt and mud accumulated from the deluge.

El Paso's weather is so mercurial that one moment it can be sunny and hot, and minutes later, it can turn on a dime, bringing harsh winds, rain, and epic hail storms.

This summer's monsoon season (which generally runs from around mid-June to the end of September) is here to stay, bringing heavy rainfall and flash flood warnings, reminiscent of the 2006 flood that brought on torrential downpours that severely flooded most of El Paso.

In 2006, an unbelievable 100-year storm created a series of shower and thunderstorm clusters and rainfall of historic proportions that brought destructive flooding to much of the region.

The devastating flood spewed rainfall from the mountain down onto Mesa St., taking along rocks and debris wiping out everything in its path. It created much more than muddy streets; it ruined businesses, roads, stores and wrecked over 300 homes across El Paso.

El Paso's weather is no joke and, if not careful, can cause severe consequences, or in this case, it cost the precious life of an individual.

While there's no information at this point why the woman was out there hiking during clearly rainy conditions, we send our deepest condolences to the victim's family and friends.