River levels are being monitored closely as water rushes into the Rio Grande.

Sunland Park, NM police and fire departments are standing by in case flooding occurs.

The serene Rio Grande that area residents are used to has turned into a raging river.

"Right now it looks like it's getting overflowed again like two weeks ago," said Mando Marquez, a Sunland Park resident.

For a lot of people, watching the swollen river is a spectacle. But to others, it's a big worry.

Homes in Sunland Park are dangerously close to the river. Residents fear if the river overflows they might have to evacuate once again.

"That's how come they evacuated us, a lot of water was coming in. It damaged the levy," said Abel Saenz, a Sunland Park resident.

Saenz, like a lot of residents has the river for a back yard. The site of the Rio Grande today is enough to worry residents.

"Try to get as many things out, our valuables and stuff out of there," said Philip Gonzalez.

The river water has come close enough to their homes before and these residents here are not going to take any chances.

"I usually have other places to stay, but they'll evacuate us and take us to another place like the middle school," said Saenz.

City officials expect the levy system to protect residents. But other precautions are in place. They are monitoring the back flow of the drainage ditches that flow into the Rio Grande. The city has two pumps in low-lying areas to pump the water out in case it gets too close to the levy. They also have a supply of sandbags ready to distribute.