Riviera Maya, Q.R. — The city of Cancun was left slightly waterlogged Wednesday after two days of bad weather. A slow moving tropical wave that hung over the region caused significant flooding in the north.
According to Protección Civil Cancun, a tropical wave is responsible for the heavy rain that left a majority of Cancun and Riviera Maya under water. The state agency says between 50 and 75 mms of rain fell over the Yucatan Peninsula Wednesday.
“Tropical Wave No. 33, combined with a low-pressure trough and an upper-level trough over the Yucatan Peninsula brought heavy rainfal (50 to 75 mm) to Quintana Roo, including the city of Cancun,” they reported.
The tropical system soaked a majority of the state in varying degrees, with the north being hit hardest. The rain started up again Wednesday evening, forcing city employees to implement Operation Storm with the participation of brigades from the Traffic Department, Municipal Police, Civil Protection, Firefighters and Public Services.
The storm caused severe flooding in various parts of the city, leaving at least 25 vehicles stranded. Traffic officers and municipal police provided support to motorists and coordinated free tow trucks for the removal of affected vehicles.
Both the mainland and hotel zone of Cancun were affected by the heavy rainfall. The areas of Punta Cancun and Plaza La Isla were affected by flooding that created significant traffic congestion along Kukulcán Boulevard.
While city police assisted stranded motorists and pedestrians, military personnel assisted residents in need.
“We are providing citizen support during the weather emergency,” Cancun Police said. “Following instructions from our Secretary, Jaime Padilla Barrientos, we are taking immediate action in response to the heavy rains in Cancun. We are reinforcing our presence in affected areas and assisting those in need. Our commitment is clear: to serve and protect the public.”
Cancun Civil Protection also reported on the wet situation Wednesday. “Following the rains in Cancun, our Cancun Civil Protection personnel are working on streets affected by puddles and flooding. We are addressing the affected areas so the water levels can recede as quickly as possible and allow residents to move around safely.”
A section of the central island of Isla Mujeres was left underwater due to the passage of Tropical Wave 33. Hidalgo Avenue was recorded completely under water due to the rain.
Other affected areas included Rueda Medina Avenue in the first square of the island as well as Isla Mujeres’ historic center. The Rueda Medina seawall also had drainage problems for more than an hour, and the road where the airstrip is located was used by the ditch that was opened two weeks ago to fulfill that function, Civil Protection personnel reported.
Heavy rains hit the island just before 11:00 a.m. and lasted for almost two hours. On Thursday morning, State Civil Protection said “showers with occasional heavy and intermittent thunderstorms are expected to continue in the municipalities of Othón P. Blanco, Bacalar, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Tulum and Playa del Carmen, add that “heavy rains could cause flooding and puddles in low-lying areas.”
State meteorologists say “the movement of Tropical Wave Thirty-Three over the Yucatan Peninsula along with the influx of moisture from the Caribbean Sea in interaction with an upper-level trough, will keep the state of Quintana Roo partly cloudy with increasing cloudiness throughout the day with heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms.”
