Severe flooding devastates Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla; rescue efforts intensify across central and eastern Mexico
Rescue teams rushed on Monday to reach isolated areas after massive floods in Mexico killed at least 64 people and left 65 others missing. The disaster followed several days of relentless rainfall that caused landslides, destroyed roads, and submerged entire communities across central and eastern Mexico.
The torrential rains last week turned streets into rivers, sweeping away bridges and leaving dozens of small towns cut off. Residents worked nonstop to clear paths so that food, water, and emergency supplies could reach stranded families.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that about 10,000 troops had been deployed to assist rescue operations. Military teams used boats, planes, and helicopters to deliver essential food and water to affected areas. Shelters were opened for those who lost their homes, and air operations continued to supply isolated regions.
“Many flights are needed to deliver enough food and water,” President Sheinbaum told reporters on Monday.
Laura Velázquez, head of Mexico’s civil defense agency, confirmed that Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla were the hardest-hit states. In Hidalgo alone, at least 43 people were reported missing. The death toll, which had stood at 47 just hours earlier, rose sharply as rescue teams reached new areas.
This year, Mexico has experienced unusually heavy rainfall, including record levels in Mexico City.
In Tenango de Doria, Hidalgo, residents were seen walking for kilometers in search of food and clean water. Flooded roads made vehicle travel impossible.
“We walked two and a half hours through the mud. Everything is destroyed. We have no food, no supplies, nothing,” said 35-year-old farmer Marco Mendoza, who had tried unsuccessfully to find food in local stores.
In the town center, shops had no electricity, and people gathered in the main square hoping for news about aid deliveries. Nearby, 63-year-old farmer Francisco Hernández from El Texme said his community was “trapped” after a river overflowed its banks.
The flooding was worsened by a tropical system from the Gulf of Mexico combining with a cold front from the north, meteorologists said. Though heavy rains are common in Mexico’s wet season from May to October, last week’s weather was exceptionally severe.
Authorities in Veracruz ordered evacuations in several coastal towns on Friday as river levels rose dangerously. In mountainous areas, continuous rainfall triggered landslides that destroyed homes and blocked roads.
President Sheinbaum dismissed speculation about failures in early warning systems, saying the floods were caused by unpredictable weather patterns. “It would have been difficult to predict this situation, unlike hurricanes,” she said.
On Sunday, skies cleared in many regions, allowing heavy machinery to begin clearing debris and restoring access to affected areas.
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