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A few powerful and sudden rainstorms unleashed widespread flooding this past week – on Tuesday and Thursday – across Puerto Vallarta, turning major thoroughfares into rivers, submerging vehicles, waterlogged trees falling, and triggering a landslide that temporarily blocked a key tunnel.
Tropical storm Erick brought heavy rainfall and significant lightning, quickly overwhelming the city’s drainage systems. Neighborhoods such as Francisco Villa, Fluvial Vallarta, Las Glorias and Versalles were among the hardest hit, with residents and businesses grappling with rising water levels that reached several feet in some areas. Videos and images shared widely on local news outlets and social media platforms, including NoticiasPV and Reporte Diario Vallarta, depicted cars nearly submerged and streets transformed into waterways.
Traffic came to a standstill throughout much of the city as drivers navigated impassable roads or abandoned their vehicles. One of the most significant impacts occurred near the El Conchi tunnel, where a landslide brought down earth and debris, effectively blocking the passage.
Authorities issued urgent warnings to residents and visitors, urging extreme caution and advising people to avoid unnecessary travel. Meteorologists with METEOROMEX have forecast continued rain for the region, suggesting the potential for further complications if the saturated ground could not absorb additional precipitation.
While Puerto Vallarta is accustomed to seasonal rains, the ferocity and volume of water from Thursday’s storm caught many by surprise. Beyond the immediate street flooding, some reports from Vallarta Daily indicated scattered power outages across the city as the infrastructure struggled under the storm’s impact.
Residents sharing real-time updates and warnings on social media, highlighting particularly dangerous areas and offering assistance where possible. The cleanup effort is expected to be substantial, with municipal workers and residents facing the task of clearing mud, debris and floodwaters once the rains subside.
As of Friday morning, the immediate danger appeared to have passed, but the aftermath left a visible mark on the city’s infrastructure and the routines of its inhabitants.
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