Mexico’s Jalisco hit by deadly flash floods

On September 25, 2023, flash floods ravaged the small community in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro in Jalisco, Mexico. The sudden surge in the El Jalocote stream led to eight confirmed deaths, three missing persons, and significant property damage.

The flash floods that hit a community of about 200 inhabitants in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, have had a devastating impact. Initial assessments indicate eight fatalities and three individuals still unaccounted for. The catastrophe also caused extensive damage to five homes, a school, and several roads.

According to Jalisco’s Civil Protection, the calamity was triggered by the abrupt rise of the El Jalocote stream on September 25. Emergency personnel were able to assess the damage after the water levels receded later that day. The preliminary report documented seven fatalities, nine missing persons, and three individuals successfully rescued. An updated report corrected these numbers to eight fatalities and three missing individuals.

The flooding has also resulted in significant infrastructural damage. Five homes and a school in the area have been severely affected, along with multiple roads. Rescue operations, aided by dogs, drones, and a medical helicopter, are still underway in the area as emergency services work diligently to find the missing individuals and assess the full extent of the damage.

Juan Ignacio Arroyo Verastegui, a local civil protection official, indicated that deforestation and a fire that occurred earlier in the year had severely impacted the wooded area around the stream. These factors could have contributed to the severity of the flash flooding event, although this connection has not been definitively proven.

References:

¹ Seven dead, nine missing in Mexico flash flood – AFP – September 26, 2023

² Mexico – 8 Fatalities After Flash Floods in Jalisco – FloodList – September 26, 2023

Featured image credit: Protección Civil Jalisco