At least 28 people have been killed and several others are missing after days of relentless rainfall triggered widespread flooding and landslides across Mexico, officials said on Friday. The torrential downpours, fuelled by multiple tropical storms sweeping through the region, have caused devastation in more than half of the country, affecting millions of people.
Civil defence authorities confirmed that 31 of Mexico’s 32 states have been impacted by flooding, with the eastern state of Veracruz, the central regions of Hidalgo and Queretaro, and the northern state of San Luis Potosí among the hardest hit. Rivers have burst their banks, bridges have collapsed, and power outages have left thousands of homes in darkness.
In Hidalgo, 16 people were killed, and thousands of homes and public buildings were damaged. Officials reported that more than 1,000 houses, 59 hospitals and clinics, and 308 schools suffered destruction from rising floodwaters and landslides. In Puebla, another nine people died and 13 remain missing. Floodwaters inundated several towns, affecting around 80,000 residents and damaging key infrastructure, including a gas pipeline.
In the coastal state of Veracruz, authorities confirmed the deaths of two people, including a police officer. Nearly 900 residents were evacuated, while some 5,000 homes sustained significant damage. Officials said the destruction of roads and power lines has made it difficult to reach isolated communities where relief efforts are ongoing.
Nationwide, the flooding has disrupted electricity for more than 320,000 people and damaged almost 1,000 kilometres of roads across six states. Civil Defence Coordinator Laura Velázquez said many rivers had overflowed and highways collapsed due to the unprecedented volume of rain. She described the situation as “a severe national emergency,” warning that more rainfall could worsen the crisis.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the government had mobilised emergency response teams to assist the worst-affected areas. Thousands of rescue workers, soldiers, and volunteers have been deployed to carry out evacuations, distribute food and medical supplies, and restore essential services. “Our priority is the safety and well-being of families who have lost everything,” Sheinbaum said during a televised address.
Meteorologists said the heavy rainfall was driven by Tropical Storm Raymond, which continues to move northward from Mexico’s Pacific coast. It is the third tropical system to hit the country in recent days, following Tropical Storm Priscilla and Post-Tropical Cyclone Octave. Forecasters have also warned that the La Niña weather phenomenon may intensify rains in the coming weeks, bringing further risk of flooding and landslides.
Officials urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain on alert, as more storms are expected through the weekend. Emergency shelters have been opened in affected regions, while authorities continue to assess the full scale of the damage and the number of people displaced by the disaster.
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