At least 5 killed in Mexico due to severe weather — Euronews
At least five people have died across Mexico as multiple severe weather systems brought torrential rains, powerful winds, flooding and landslides to different regions of the country. Rescue teams continue searching for six missing individuals in the states of Baja California and Guerrero.
Deadly impact in Baja California
The coastal city of Ensenada, home to over 443,000 residents, bore the brunt of post-tropical cyclone Rachel, which claimed four lives: a 13-year-old girl, two women and a four-year-old boy. Rachel had previously intensified to Category 3 hurricane strength on October 1, with peak winds reaching 194 km/h and a lowest pressure of 950 mb on October 2, before weakening to a post-tropical cyclone by October 8.
Floodwaters swept through streets, carrying away vehicles and damaging residential properties. Six people remain unaccounted for, with four missing in Ensenada and two in San Felipe. Landslides and overflowing rivers have isolated several communities, cutting off road access.
Military helicopters conducted emergency evacuations, rescuing 32 people trapped on a ranch in Ensenada. Among those airlifted to safety were 22 foreign nationals, including German and US citizens, as well as several missionaries.
Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila announced the deployment of approximately 14,000 federal and state personnel to assist affected residents and coordinate emergency response efforts.
Category 4 Hurricane Simon threatens Pacific coast
Along Mexico's Pacific shoreline, Hurricane Simon intensified to Category 4 strength with maximum sustained winds of 240 km/h on October 10. Forecasters predicted the storm would dump between 25 and 51 centimeters of rain across southwestern Mexico. While the hurricane's center remained offshore, its outer bands battered coastal areas between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean near Puerto Vallarta.
In Guerrero state, the storm system toppled trees, brought down power lines, blocked roadways and flooded homes. The port city of Acapulco experienced particularly severe rainfall, with nearly 135 millimeters accumulating in less than two hours on October 8. The region has faced repeated tropical cyclone impacts in recent years, including the devastating Category 5 Hurricane Otis in October 2023, which was the strongest storm in history to make landfall along the Eastern Pacific Coast.
In Chilpancingo, Guerrero's capital, a 71-year-old man was killed when a wall collapsed during the storm.
The US National Hurricane Center issued warnings of life-threatening flooding and landslides ahead of Simon's anticipated landfall on Friday. In Puerto Vallarta, some businesses reopened after rainfall intensity decreased, though the international airport suspended all operations until Tuesday morning.
The 2026 Pacific hurricane season has proven exceptionally active, with Mexico's National Meteorological Service forecasting 18 to 21 named storms, 9 to 11 hurricanes and 4 to 5 major hurricanes for the season. Mexico's Pacific coast has endured multiple catastrophic hurricanes in recent years, including Hurricane John in September 2024, which made landfall twice on southern Mexico and caused 29 deaths and an estimated $2.45 billion in damage.
