Deadly floods hit Mexico’s Gulf states

Heavy rains from a tropical depression triggered widespread floods and landslides across Mexico’s Gulf Coast and central states, killing at least 64 people and leaving 65 missing, officials said. The system hit near the end of the rainy season, swelling already saturated rivers and collapsing slopes, officials and the president said. Around 100,000 homes were damaged, infrastructure including bridges was destroyed, and streets were left choked with mud.

Veracruz and Hidalgo were among the hardest hit: Veracruz reported 29 deaths and 18 missing, Hidalgo 21 deaths and 43 missing. Puebla recorded at least 13 fatalities, and a child was killed in a landslide in Querétaro. Emergency crews and military units have been deployed to evacuate residents, clear debris and deliver aid; helicopters have flown food, water and medical evacuations to some 200 cut‑off communities.

Local footage showed responders wading through deep water to reach stranded people. Authorities said power outages across five states have largely been resolved and that teams are prioritizing restoration of critical services. Health officials warned of an increased risk of mosquito‑borne illnesses such as dengue where water remains stagnant and said vector‑control measures are being stepped up.

The government has mobilized roughly 10,000 troops alongside civilian rescue teams for search, rescue and cleanup operations. The president pledged emergency resources for rebuilding and planned visits to badly affected states to coordinate relief.

In Huauchinango and other towns, residents cleared mud and debris from homes; in Poza Rica, cleanup was made more difficult by thick oil deposits left on buildings and vegetation after floodwaters carried petroleum residues from local sites. Residents described homes inundated to the ceiling and oil streaking walls and roofs, complicating sanitation and recovery efforts.

Officials attributed the severity of the flooding to the convergence of a tropical depression with warm and cold air fronts over already overfilled rivers and weakened mountain slopes after months of rain. Two Pacific systems, Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond, had recently dissipated. Authorities said relief efforts will continue through the emergency period, with reconstruction discussions under way at the federal level.