At least 64 people have died, and more than 200 remain missing after torrential rains and flooding devastated several regions of Mexico, prompting mass evacuations, collapsed bridges, and growing anger over the government's response.
According to the National Civil Protection Agency, heavy rains triggered by the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla and Tropical Storm Raymond inundated communities across Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro, and San Luis Potosí, washing away homes and isolating towns. Officials confirmed 64 deaths and 65 missing, though student groups in Veracruz claim the real number of unaccounted people is far higher.
In Poza Rica, students from the Universidad Veracruzana said that 192 of their classmates have not been located since the weekend floods. They held demonstrations demanding that authorities acknowledge their claims and expand search operations in low-lying neighborhoods where many students rented rooms.
"Our classmates were caught in the floods at night. We've filed reports, but no one is giving us answers," said student representative Andrea Morales, who led a march on Monday outside the university campus.
If confirmed, the combined number of victims would push the total number of dead or missing well above 200, making this one of the deadliest flooding disasters in Mexico in recent decades.
Veracruz has reported the heaviest losses, with 29 fatalities, while Hidalgo recorded 21 deaths and Puebla 13, according to official tallies. The government has deployed army and navy units to assist in rescue operations, using helicopters to reach communities cut off by landslides and overflowing rivers.
President Claudia Sheinbaum visited flood-stricken areas on Monday, pledging federal aid and promising that "no affected family will be left behind." Emergency shelters have been set up for thousands displaced, while authorities warn of potential disease outbreaks due to contaminated water.
Local officials say more than 100,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and major highways remain closed due to mudslides and bridge collapses. Power and water service interruptions continue in several regions.
As search and recovery operations intensify, families desperate for news have crowded public squares and hospitals. "We've spent three days looking for my niece," said María del Carmen García, whose family traveled from Papantla to file a missing-person report. "Every list is different. Nobody knows the real number."
Authorities have urged caution over unverified reports circulating on social media but admit that communication with many rural areas remains impossible.
The government has not confirmed the university's numbers, but opposition leaders in Congress are demanding an independent accounting of the victims.
The storm system, which has now weakened, left widespread destruction across central and eastern Mexico before moving toward the Gulf. Meteorologists warn that the saturated soil and overflowing reservoirs could lead to new flooding in the coming days if rains continue.
As the death toll rises and hundreds remain unaccounted for, Mexico faces mounting pressure to deliver answers and justice to families caught in what many are already calling "the flood that changed everything."
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