Mexico Faces Aftermath of Hurricane Erick Clean-Up

Mon Dec 22 2025 09:44:55 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Southern Mexico rallies for recovery as Hurricane Erick causes damage and disruption.

Following Hurricane Erick's landfall, Puerto Escondido in southern Mexico starts intensive clean-up efforts amid infrastructure damage and power outages, while alerts for flooding and mudslides persist.

Southern Mexico kicked off a significant clean-up on Thursday after Hurricane Erick struck its Pacific coast as a formidable Category 3 storm. The popular tourist destination, Puerto Escondido, experienced widespread power outages and communication failures due to storm damage, including impacts on two hospitals and flooding on major streets.

Fortunately, there have been no casualty reports. Erick weakened to Category 1 shortly after landfall, but the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that flooding and strong winds would continue as the storm progressed northward. They also issued warnings for potentially "life-threatening" storm surges, cautioning against waves as high as 10 meters (33 feet).

In response to the destruction, hundreds of military personnel were deployed to assist with recovery in the city, where numerous structures were damaged, and roads rendered impassable by floodwaters. Local merchant Luis Alberto Gil, whose shop was flooded, remarked, "The water had never hit with this magnitude."

State-owned CFE confirmed that over 120,000 residents in Oaxaca lost electricity, with power restoration efforts having reached about a quarter of affected users by Thursday morning. Winds had topped 125 mph (205 km/h) before dropping to 85 mph.

Reminders of safety precautions were prevalent in Acapulco, located about 250 miles (400 km) north, as residents took heed of warnings, leading to a deserted look across the city with stores boarded and tourist boats moored. Many had prepared by stocking necessities prior to the storm’s arrival.

Alerts for dangerous flooding and mudslides remain active for areas in Oaxaca and the neighboring Guerrero state. Although the NHC projected that Hurricane Erick would rapidly weaken and likely dissipate by Thursday evening, President Claudia Sheinbaum advised those in vulnerable areas to seek safety in shelters, with around 2,000 set up in Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca in anticipation of the storm’s impact.

Earlier this year, Southern Mexico was devastated by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm that claimed at least 50 lives in Acapulco, highlighting the urgency for disaster preparedness and response in the region.