Playa del Carmen Forms Storm Preparedness Team for 2025

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The municipal government, led by Mayor Estefanía Mercado, has officially installed the Specialized Operational Committee for Hydrometeorological Phenomena, declaring the city prepared for the 2025 rainy and tropical cyclone season. The committee underscores the administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives, ensuring public safety, and providing timely emergency response.

A Commitment to Prevention and Coordination

During the committee’s inaugural session at the "Leona Vicario" hall in the new City Hall, Mayor Mercado emphasized the gravity of the initiative. “Today, we are here to fulfill one of our greatest responsibilities as a government: protecting the lives of our people,” she stated.

The mayor clarified that the committee’s formation is not merely symbolic but a concrete step toward prevention, planning, and interagency coordination. “We are not here to pretend; we are here to act with responsibility, preventive vision, and full dedication to serving the community,” Mercado affirmed.

Comprehensive Preparedness Measures

The committee comprises over 2,500 operational personnel from Civil Protection, the Mexican Army (SEDENA), Navy, National Guard, Public Security, Firefighters, Medical Services, the DIF (Integrated Family Development System), Public Services, and volunteer brigades. These units are unified under a single objective: protecting human life.

“Civil protection is not improvised; it is built daily through discipline, teamwork, and care for the people,” Mercado said, urging all institutions to maintain permanent vigilance and shared responsibility.

Operational Plan and Risk Assessment

Darwin Covarrubias, Secretary of Civil Protection, Risk Prevention, and Firefighters, presented the operational plan for the season, which includes a thorough risk analysis of vulnerable zones and critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, electrical substations, and 25 kilometers of urban coastline.

Forecasts indicate 17 hydrometeorological events in the Atlantic, including nine tropical storms and eight hurricanes—four of Category 1 or 2 and four of Category 3, 4, or 5. In response, the city has prepared:

• 48 temporary shelters with a capacity for 20,000 people.
• A dedicated pet shelter.
• An Early Warning System and communication routes expected to reach 90% of the population, reducing exposure to severe risks by 70%.

Public Security, Medical Services, Public Services, and DIF confirmed they have vehicles, machinery, medical equipment, and specialized personnel ready for emergencies.

Proactive Governance

Mayor Mercado reiterated the administration’s adherence to the principles of the Fourth Transformation, emphasizing governance rooted in local engagement rather than bureaucratic detachment. “Being where the people are, preventing rather than regretting—that is our priority,” she said.

During the session, Mercado administered the oath of office to committee members, urging them to act with determination, unity, and civic commitment.

With these measures, the Estefanía Mercado administration reinforces its stance that governance entails prevention, protection, and standing with the community—backed by clear strategies, available resources, and a dedicated team focused on Playa del Carmen’s well-being.