...
By Mandy Taheri
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Heavy rains this week triggered floods and landslides that have killed at least 37 people across several Mexican states with several reported missing, according to the Mexican government.
Mexico has deployed 8,700 military personnel to support locals, many of whom are without electricity and access, according to the Associated Press.
Newsweek has reached out to the Secretary of Government of Hidalgo and Puebla for comment via email on Saturday.
Read More on News
Why It Matters
Flooding is among the deadliest weather hazards, with many deaths occurring when rising water sweeps away vehicles. It can also quickly carry off people, cause electrocution from downed lines and trap those in low-lying areas.
West of Mexico, Tropical Storm Priscilla, weakened from Category 2 hurricane strength, and Tropical Storm Raymond formed in the Pacific, with authorities saying the storms brought heavy rain and runoff.
...
What To Know
Flooding has damaged mass infrastructure, from electricity to roads, throughout the country, the national coordinator for civil defense, Laura Velazquez, said on Friday. In a Saturday press release, the Mexican government noted that 37 deaths have been reported across the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz, and Querétaro.
Mass rainfall swept through the central Mexican state of Hidalgo, where at least 16 deaths have been recorded, according to the state Interior Secretary Guillermo Olivares Reyna. On Saturday, the government updated the death toll to 22.
Over 1,000 homes, 300 schools, and nearly 60 hospitals and clinics have been damaged due to the water, according to the AP. Nearly 20 percent of the municipalities are without electricity, Reyna said.
In Puebla state, Governor Alejandro Armenta estimated that nearly 80,000 people were affected by the heavy rain, noting that a gas pipeline was impacted by a landslide. Nine people have died there and others are missing, according to the government's Saturday press release.
In some parts of the country, authorities have preemptively shut off electricity as a precaution, the AP reported.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the country’s response plan in an X post, writing, “To support the population affected by the recent rains, the DN-III-E Plan of the Secretariat of National Defense (@Defensamx1) has five thousand 400 personnel.”
She added: “It set up shelters in Veracruz and San Luis Potosí. The Support Force for Disaster Cases remains on alert with 512 machinery units, 17 aircraft, ten community kitchens, ten tortilla-making machines, and 48 water purification plants. In addition, nine thousand 968 food baskets and 117 thousand liters of bottled water are ready for distribution. Together we will move forward.”
In another post, the president outlined that the Secretariat of the Navy has also deployed personnel and machinery for support. Sheinbaum has posted photos of flooded highways run over with mud and water, or eroded roadways.
On Friday, Sheinbaum held a meeting with the most impacted states’ governors to discuss the emergency. Videos online show people in fast flowing, muddy water up to their waists.
What People Are Saying
Puebla State Governor Alejandro Armenta said in Spanish in a Friday X post: “With the support of our president, Dr. @Claudiashein, and the coordination of the three levels of government, we guarantee the well-being of the Puebla families affected by the heavy rains in the state. We continue working with commitment and closeness.”
The official X account for Mexico's National Coordination for Civil Defense wrote in Spanish in a Saturday X post: "According to @conagua_clima, on this October 11, intense to heavy rains are expected in much of the country, with the possibility of thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail. Take precautions: Stay in a safe place during the storm, Do not obstruct the drainage or throw trash in public areas, Do not attempt to cross streams of water or flooded areas. Follow the instructions of Civil Protection and stay informed through official sources."
What Happens Next?
Heavy rain is expected to continue on Saturday.
Update 10/11/25, 2 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and an updated headline.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines