TULANCINGO DE BRAVO: Floods triggered by torrential rains have killed at least 28 people across Mexico this week, leaving widespread destruction in their wake.
Local authorities nationwide confirmed the rising death toll on Friday as the country grapples with the severe weather’s impact.
Mexico’s civil defense reported intense rainfall affecting 31 out of 32 states, causing rivers to overflow and communities to flood.
The downpours have also triggered numerous landslides while collapsing critical roads and bridges.
Hidalgo state in central Mexico has suffered particularly heavy damage with authorities reporting at least 16 fatalities.
Approximately 1,000 homes have been damaged in Hidalgo while 90 communities remain cut off from rescue teams.
Neighboring Puebla state has recorded at least nine deaths with officials warning the number could still increase.
The Puebla state government noted that around 80,000 people have been affected by the extreme weather conditions there.
Additional fatalities include two people in eastern Veracruz and another in central Queretaro.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced coordinated efforts to support affected populations and restore infrastructure.
“We are working to support the population, reopen roads and get the power back on,“ she wrote on social media platform X.
She confirmed the deployment of thousands of troops alongside boats, planes and helicopters for rescue operations.
National civil defense coordinator Laura Velazquez detailed multiple hazards including landslides and river overflows.
The military has deployed more than 5,400 troops to distribute aid in affected areas alongside rescue equipment.
Shelters have been opened throughout impacted regions to accommodate those displaced from their homes.
The Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range has emerged as the primary disaster zone.
This region running parallel to the Gulf of Mexico coast contains numerous small communities now isolated.
An AFP team in Tulancingo observed roads to the Sierra Madre Oriental closed due to landslides and collapses.
Mexico has experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall throughout 2025 with records broken in Mexico City.
Meteorologist Isidro Cano attributed the intense rainfall to seasonal shifts and cloud formation patterns.
He explained that warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico rises to mountaintops, generating severe storms.
A northward-moving cold front has further intensified rainfall across much of the country.
Authorities are monitoring tropical storms Raymond and Priscilla off the Pacific coast.
Priscilla has been downgraded from a Category 2 hurricane but continues affecting western regions.
Both storms remain distant from shore but are dumping heavy rains on Mexico’s west coast states.
Damage has been reported in Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Michoacan from the offshore systems.
The US National Hurricane Center predicts Raymond will hit southern Baja California over the weekend.
Forecasters expect Raymond to weaken to a tropical depression by Sunday. – AFP
