Heavy rains kill at least 28 in Mexico, thousands displaced

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Oct 2025 12:22

Torrential rains and flooding across Mexico leave at least 28 dead, thousands displaced, and widespread damage in nearly every state.

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A member of the National Guard helps evacuate a woman through a flooded street following heavy rains in Poza Rica, Veracruz state, Mexico, on October 10, 2025. (AFP)

Floods caused by torrential rains have claimed at least 28 lives across Mexico this week and left widespread destruction, local authorities reported Friday.

Mexico’s civil defense agencies said intense rainfall affected 31 of the country’s 32 states, causing rivers to overflow, entire villages to flood, landslides to occur, and roads and bridges to collapse.

The central state of Hidalgo has been among the hardest hit, with officials reporting 16 deaths, around 1,000 homes damaged, and 90 communities cut off from rescue teams.

Neighboring Puebla recorded at least nine deaths, though the toll may rise as search efforts continue, with around 80,000 people affected.

5,400 troops have been dispatched

Floods have also killed two people in eastern Veracruz and one in Queretaro, in central Mexico. President Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that the government is working to assist affected communities, reopen roads, and restore power. “Thousands of troops, as well as boats, planes, and helicopters, have been deployed to aid rescue efforts,” she added.

Para apoyar a la población afectada por las recientes lluvias, el Plan DN-III-E de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (@Defensamx1) cuenta con cinco mil 400 efectivos.

Instaló albergues en Veracruz y San Luis Potosí. Se mantiene en alerta la Fuerza de Apoyo para Casos de… pic.twitter.com/SW3U2BNrOi
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) October 11, 2025

On her part, Laura Velazquez, national coordinator for civil defense, highlighted the impact of landslides, overflowing rivers, and road collapses in the hardest-hit states.

More than 5,400 troops, alongside rescue vehicles and equipment, have been dispatched to distribute aid and assist residents. Shelters have been opened for those displaced.

Wider context

The Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range running parallel to Mexico’s Gulf coast, has borne the brunt of the flooding. Roads blocked in Tulancingo, a key access point to many mountain villages, by landslides and structural collapses, AFP reported.

Meteorologist Isidro Cano explained that the heavy rainfall since Thursday resulted from a seasonal shift and rising warm, humid air from the Gulf, intensified by a cold front moving south from the United States.

Authorities are also monitoring tropical storms Raymond and Priscilla on the Pacific coast. Though far from land, the storms have already caused heavy rain and damage in Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Michoacan. Raymond is forecast to reach southern Baja California over the weekend, likely weakening to a tropical depression by Sunday, according to the US National Hurricane Center.