Over 120 dead and missing, 100 000 homes damaged as severe floods sweep through Mexico
At least 64 people have died and 65 remain missing after days of torrential rain triggered severe flooding and landslides across several Mexican states, including Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla. The events damaged nearly 100 000 homes, destroyed infrastructure, and prompted a large-scale rescue and relief operation involving the Mexican armed forces and civil protection units.
Flood damage in Mexico on October 13, 2025. Credit: DefenseMX
Torrential rains over the past several days have caused widespread flooding and landslides across multiple regions of Mexico, killing at least 64 people and leaving 65 missing, as of October 14.
Mexico’s Civil Protection agency said the heavy rains had killed 29 people in Veracruz state on the Gulf Coast as of October 13, and 21 people in Hidalgo state, north of Mexico City.
At least 13 were killed in Puebla, east of Mexico City. One fatality was reported in the central state of Querétaro, where a child died in a landslide.
The heavy rains were triggered by the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond, which interacted with a stationary moisture front over eastern Mexico.
According to the national media, parts of Veracruz recorded up to 630 mm (25 inches) of rain between October 6 and 9.
The worst hit regions included the states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla, where overflowing rivers and saturated hillsides destroyed homes, bridges, and roads.
In Veracruz, heavy rain triggered multiple fatal landslides in mountain municipalities such as Poza Rica and Atzalan.
In Hidalgo, rivers overflowed and flooded sections of Tula and neighboring communities. Officials warned that additional slope failures are possible as saturated soils remain unstable.
Authorities report that approximately 100 000 homes were damaged, and many mountainous communities remain cut off due to collapsed roads and damaged communication lines.
Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) deployed more than 10 000 troops and civil protection teams under the DN-III-E emergency response plan to carry out evacuations, deliver aid, and restore access to isolated communities. Thousands of residents have been relocated to temporary shelters as water levels remain high in low-lying areas.
Health authorities have issued alerts for possible outbreaks of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases due to standing water and damaged sanitation systems.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the federal government will activate emergency funds for reconstruction and support to affected states. She stated that the national priority is restoring essential services and maintaining health and safety in flood-affected communities.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
Due to our incessant mindless burning of fossil fuels, the planet is heating and driving 1 trillion tons of water vapor into the atmosphere DAI
LY, where 10 more await until upper atmosphere cooling sends it back down as rain. What could go wrong? Everything. Flooding? Hmmmm?