Two people have been killed by heavy rains and flooding in the city of Roswell, New Mexico.

Search and rescue operations by the state’s National Guard are continuing after record rainfall caused severe flooding in and around the city, US authorities said.

State National Guard officials said 309 people had been rescued, 38 of whom were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The New Mexico State Police reported that two people had died as a result of the flooding, but information about the victims or the circumstances of their deaths has not yet been released.

Local authorities confirmed that water levels were still high in the central area of Roswell and noted that all roads in and out of the city were closed.