Hundreds of people were rescued in eastern New Mexico late Saturday and Sunday, as torrential rains dumped more than a third of the city of Roswell’s annual rainfall total in just a few hours, causing at least two deaths, officials said.

Search and rescue efforts were still underway on Sunday morning, as forecasters warned that storms were expected to continue in the area, carrying the threat of more floods, large hail and possibly tornadoes.

As of Sunday morning, nearly 300 people had been rescued by county and state agencies and 38 people had been taken to local hospitals, the New Mexico National Guard said.

Miguel Aguilar, the state National Guard’s adjutant general, said in a statement on Sunday morning that emergency responders had worked all night and rescue efforts were still underway. The National Guard was using tactical vehicles and swift water rescue teams in its effort.

A spokeswoman for the New Mexico State Police, Amanda Richards, said in an email that there had been two deaths in the flooding. She did not provide information on the victims or the circumstances of their deaths.

The state police had closed all roads into and out of Roswell early on Sunday and roads into the city remained closed in the afternoon. Officials opened a shelter at the Eastern New Mexico Fairgrounds for people who had to leave their homes.

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