At Least 41 Dead in Mexico Floods

Torrential rains have caused severe flooding across Mexico in recent days, leaving at least 41 people dead and widespread destruction, the government reported on Saturday.

Mexico’s civil defence authorities said that intense rainfall has affected 31 of the country’s 32 states, leading to overflowing rivers, submerged villages, landslides, and the collapse of roads and bridges.

The central state of Hidalgo has been among the hardest hit. Authorities reported:

The federal security secretariat confirmed these figures, while the Puebla state government reported that approximately 80,000 people had been affected by the extreme weather in that state alone.

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on X: “We are deploying members and teams from the Mexican government to open roads and assist communities.”

Thousands of troops, along with boats, planes, and helicopters, have been dispatched to support rescue efforts. Over 10,000 military personnel are involved in distributing aid in affected areas, supplemented by rescue vehicles and equipment.

Shelters have been opened for those displaced from their homes.

The main disaster zone has been the Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range running parallel to the Gulf of Mexico coast.

AFP journalists in Tulancingo, Hidalgo, reported that roads leading into mountainous areas were blocked due to landslides and structural collapses. Many small communities remain inaccessible to rescue teams.

Mexico has experienced particularly heavy rainfall throughout 2025, with record precipitation recorded in Mexico City.

Meteorologist Isidro Cano explained to AFP: “The intense rainfall since Thursday has been caused by a seasonal shift and cloud formation as warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico rises to the mountaintops.”

A cold front from the north has further intensified rainfall across much of the country.

Authorities are also monitoring Tropical Depression Raymond and the remnants of Priscilla, which was formerly a hurricane. Both systems previously caused heavy rains in western states including Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Michoacan. Raymond is expected to impact the southern part of Baja California over the weekend, according to the US National Hurricane Center.