The danger and risk map for floods in Yucatán shows that the entire Yucatecan territory has a probability of being affected by heavy rainfall during the arrival of hurricanes in this 2023 season.
This map, which serves as a guide for the actions of the State Civil Protection Coordination (Procivy), has four flood alerts:
- The entire Yucatecan coastal area near the shoreline is susceptible to flooding due to storm surges.
- More than 30 municipalities are at high risk of accumulating large volumes of rainfall.
- More than 60 municipalities are at medium risk of experiencing floods.
- Very few communities are at low risk.
Three ports in Yucatán with a double flood alert
The ports of Progreso, San Felipe, and Río Lagartos have a double alert for possible floods because the map labels them as high and very high-risk areas.
Almost a third of the municipality and city of Tizimín also has a high probability flood alert.
According to the danger and flood risk map, in addition to the ports on the northern coast of the state, the municipalities of Panabá and Chemax would be completely flooded if heavy and prolonged rains arrived.
In other municipalities in the East, such as Sucilá, Calotmul, Chichimilá, Tixcacalcupul, and Valladolid, half of the territory could be flooded.
Flood risk in southern Yucatán
In the southern part of the state, Yaxcabá, Tixméhuac, Tahdziú, and Chacsinkín are susceptible to having floods across their municipalities, while Peto and Tzucacab would have half of their population “underwater”.
The same would happen in Mayapán, Tekit, Chumayel, Maní, Teabo, Cantamayec, and Dzan.
In the city of Tekax, perhaps due to its hilly terrain, most of its territory presents a medium level of risk, but there are specific areas that are at high risk due to the runoff of rainwater from the hills.
The areas with the least flood risk across most of their territory are Oxkutzcab and Santa Elena. Opichén, Kopomá, Umán, Samahil, and Chocholá are also susceptible to extreme flooding.
In Maxcanú, Muna, and Halachó, only a part is at risk, but the majority of the surface is very safe.
In the central part of the state, municipalities like Izamal, Tunkás, Sudzal, Kantunil, Huhí, Chicxulub Pueblo, Ixil, Mocochá, and Conkal are considered high-risk areas.
What is the flood risk in Mérida?
The municipality and city of Mérida are within the medium-risk level, but the intense rains from tropical storms and hurricanes in 2020 flooded neighborhoods, subdivisions, and communities in the north. This prompted the evacuation of the population and emergency actions from municipal, state, and federal governments.
Commenting on the flood risks in Yucatán now that the intense phase of hurricane season has begun, the state director of Procivy, Enrique Alcocer Basto, mentioned that the macro floodable areas include the entire Yucatecan coast, and the northern communities of Tizimín are also susceptible to water accumulation. Communities in the region known as the Cono Sur may also experience flooding, as well as all localities that border Quintana Roo.
TYT Newsroom