Deaths from Heavy Rains and Heatwaves
Since 2010, Mexico has recorded 1,735 deaths associated with heavy rains, floods, and heatwaves, according to official figures from the federal government.
According to data from the National Center for Disaster Prevention (Cenapred) and the federal Ministry of Health (SSA), between 2010 and 2023, the most up-to-date publicly available figures show 659 deaths from heavy rains and floods, with 2010 being the deadliest year at 100 cases, followed by 85 in 2011 and 70 in 2016.
The numbers have been on the rise since 2017, with a 50% increase in 2023 compared to the previous year, rising from 34 to 51 deaths.
Meanwhile, heatwave-related deaths (data covering 2014 to June 2025) total 1,046 fatalities and have shown a growing trend, with 421 deaths reported in 2023—a 902% increase from the 42 deaths in 2022.
Although there was a slight decrease to 331 cases in 2024, this figure still represents a significant increase compared to the average recorded between 2014 (23) and 2021 (33). As per the current year’s data, there have been 28 deaths nationwide due to these causes.
Emergency Declarations Due to Flooding
From 2000 to 2024, Mexico has recorded 1,168 emergency declarations related to flooding according to the Cenapred’s System for Consulting Declarations. This figure reflects the ongoing impact of extreme weather events linked to intense rains in various regions across the country, with particularly severe peaks in 2008 and 2010.
In 2008, there were 225 declarations—the highest number in the entire period. Two years later, in 2010, there were an additional 150 declarations. In contrast, the years 2000 and 2001 did not record any declarations, and 2024 ended without officially recognized incidents.
Recently, Mexico City and the State of Mexico have faced intense rains causing severe flooding and collapses in roads and homes. On June 2, it rained between 50 and 70 mm in 24 hours, causing standing water in alcaldías like Iztapalapa, Gustavo A. Madero, Azcapotzalco, and Miguel Hidalgo, complicating daily commutes.
Furthermore, the Los Cuartos dam overflowed in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, causing floods exceeding 30 cm that affected at least 50 homes.
Meanwhile, torrential rains this week in Tamaulipas caused the overflow of the Sabinas River in the municipality of Mante.
Mexico’s Climate Diversity
Experts consulted by El Economista indicated that Mexico’s climate diversity, where some regions experience flooding while others face extreme droughts, reveals a combination of poor planning, inadequate dam management, deforestation, and overexploitation of aquifers worsening the situation in the country.
Victor Magaña, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), harshly criticized the official rainfall deficit monitoring system coordinated by the National Water Commission (Conagua). “Rare things are being mixed, such as rainfall deficits with dam levels, and the management is poor. This generates a perception of crisis that may not correspond to actual data.”
He emphasized that in regions with low natural rainfall, planning should be based on historical averages rather than atypical expectations. Attempting to operate under optimistic rainfall scenarios, he said, creates a “permanent drought.”
From another perspective, environmental activist Aurelien Guilabert from Extinction Rebellion Mexico pointed out that the apparent contradiction between intense rains and flooding in some regions and prolonged droughts in others stems from a phenomenon that various scholars have started calling the “hydraulic paradox.” He explained that this situation results from global warming combined with Mexico’s climate diversity, intensifying hydrological extremes.
He also noted that widespread deforestation in key areas has weakened the country’s ability to retain water and recharge aquifers. “Forests are essential for maintaining hydrological balance, and their destruction increases the vulnerability of entire communities,” he warned. He also denounced the overexploitation of aquifers through excessive well drilling, a practice that, he said, disrupts the water-soil-atmosphere cycle balance.
The experts agreed that the solution to mitigate climate change’s effects comes from a profound shift in national water policy: better planning, transparency in resource management, environmental restoration, and regulated water use, particularly in agriculture.
- Key Questions and Answers:
- Q: How many deaths have been recorded in Mexico due to heavy rains, floods, and heatwaves since 2010?
- A: There have been 1,735 deaths recorded since 2010.
- Q: What is the trend in deaths from heavy rains and floods between 2010 and 2023?
- A: The death toll has been rising since 2017, with a 50% increase in 2023 compared to the previous year.
- Q: How many heatwave-related deaths have occurred in Mexico from 2014 to June 2025?
- A: There have been 1,046 heatwave-related deaths during this period.
- Q: How many emergency declarations for flooding have been issued in Mexico from 2000 to 2024?
- A: There have been 1,168 emergency declarations for flooding during this period.
- Q: What is causing the apparent contradiction between intense rains and flooding in some regions and prolonged droughts in others?
- A: This phenomenon is called the “hydraulic paradox,” resulting from global warming combined with Mexico’s climate diversity, intensifying hydrological extremes.
- Q: What changes in national water policy do experts recommend to mitigate climate change effects?
- A: Experts suggest better planning, transparency in resource management, environmental restoration, and regulated water use, particularly in agriculture.
