Miguel Angel Villegas Escobar reported a death toll of more than a dozen individuals in his area, which has been isolated from the rest of Mexico’s Hidalgo state due to heavy rains, swollen rivers, and mudslides that destroyed bridges and roads.
Villegas Escobar, who serves as the primary education regional director in Chahuaco village, shared via WhatsApp voice messages that entire families were swept away by severe flooding caused by a four-day downpour across five states in the Gulf Coast and central regions.
He confirmed that 15 people in Tianguistengo municipality, including various villages like Chahuaco, lost their lives in the floods and were buried under mud. Additionally, two individuals remain missing from the nearby Tlacolula village, part of Tianguistengo, which suffered the most damage.
In response to the crisis, residents of Chahuaco have mobilized using old trails, carrying supplies on pack animals and horses to offer assistance to Tlacolula residents. Villegas Escobar emphasized the collective efforts made to support the affected communities.
The recent storms have resulted in 64 fatalities and 65 missing persons, as disclosed by Mexican authorities during a press briefing. The heavy rainfall from October 6 to October 9 led to widespread flooding, power outages, landslides, and road destruction across Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro, and San Luis Potosi.
Laura Velázquez, the national co-ordinator for the federal civil protection agency, highlighted the joint efforts of federal, state, and local governments in assisting the affected populations during this crisis.
Among the hardest-hit states, Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla accounted for the majority of the devastation, with 56 casualties and over 100 communities impacted. The aftermath of the storms was captured through social media images showing inundated streets, stranded residents on rooftops, and roads obliterated by landslides.
President Claudia Sheinbaum and the governors of the affected states have come under scrutiny for the perceived sluggish response and inadequate alert systems. Criticisms have emerged over the handling of evacuations and relief efforts following the natural disaster.
Efforts are being made to address the widespread destruction, with more than 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed by the rains. Helicopters are being utilized to reach isolated communities in Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla where road access has been disrupted.
Authorities were caught off guard by the intensity of the rains, which resulted from a convergence of weather systems. Despite monitoring tropical cyclones and hurricanes, a low-pressure system colliding with a cold front triggered the unprecedented rainfall, overwhelming the region’s infrastructure and natural defenses.
The municipality of Tianguistengo has been identified as a priority area for rebuilding efforts. Military helicopters have been deployed to facilitate the restoration of critical infrastructure such as roads and bridges in the affected regions.
In a plea for urgent assistance, Villegas Escobar highlighted the urgent need for support in Tlacolula, showcasing the devastation, including a destroyed primary school resembling a disaster scene. The video shared with authorities emphasized the dire situation and the necessity for immediate aid.
The catastrophic impact of the recent heavy rains and floods in Mexico has brought attention to the urgent need for coordinated relief efforts and long-term infrastructure resilience planning.