Mexico Floods: 41 Dead, Dozens Missing

Mexico — The Government of Mexico confirmed this Saturday that 41 fatalities have been reported so far due to heavy rains across the country. Furthermore, search efforts continue for 27 individuals who remain unaccounted for, with authorities providing support and accompaniment to their families.

The Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) indicated that state authorities reported the 41 fatalities across four states: 15 in Veracruz, 9 in Puebla, 16 in Hidalgo, and one in Querétaro.

Emergency Efforts Concentrated in 117 Municipalities

The National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC) added that emergency operations are currently focused on 117 municipalities across five states where "major damage" has been reported: Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro, and San Luis Potosí.

In Veracruz, authorities specified that 55 municipalities have been affected, with at least 16,000 homes damaged, 42 communities with limited access, 25 roadways damaged, and 51 landslides recorded.

In Hidalgo, the CNPC reported 13 municipalities with significant damage, including approximately 1,200 homes, 308 schools, and 59 health centers affected. The state also has 150 communities without access, six overflowing streams, 71 damaged roadways, and 190 landslides.

Widespread Damage Across Multiple States

Likewise, in Puebla, preliminary records show 37 affected municipalities, at least 16,000 damaged homes, one hospital and three roadways with damage, in addition to 83 landslides and hillside collapses in different regions of the state.

In Querétaro, reports indicate seven affected municipalities, with 147 homes damaged, five communities with temporary access issues, five affected roadways, and 16 hillside landslides.

In San Luis Potosí, five municipalities have reported damage, including at least 1,000 affected homes, 25 landslides, four overflowing or actively flowing streams, and one landslide "of great magnitude," according to the CNPC.

Power Outages and Restoration Efforts

Regarding power outages, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) reported 130,819 affected customers in Veracruz, with service restoration progress at 20 percent.

In Querétaro, 4,512 customers were affected, with 97 percent of service restored; in Puebla, 26,442 customers were affected with 14 percent progress on restoration; and in Hidalgo, 65,443 customers were affected with 49 percent progress.

Coordinated Government Response

The CNPC assured that it is working actively in the mentioned states in coordination with state and municipal governments, together with the Secretariats of National Defense, the Navy, Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), the National Guard (GN), the National Water Commission (Conagua), and the CFE.

For her part, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced in a message on X that at 12:30 hours she would hold a virtual meeting with the governors of Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, and Querétaro, alongside the CNPC "to evaluate progress in attending to the population affected by the heavy rains."

Sheinbaum stated that "once the emergency is addressed, censuses will begin to provide support to the population" and promised that her Government will not leave anyone "abandoned."