Is it safe to travel to Mexico? Your rights after tropical storms bring devastating floods

At least 64 people have died due to torrential rain in Mexico, while dozens of people are still missing and the status of remote towns with up to 1,000 residents remains unknown.

More than 300 communities have been cut off by landslides and flooding as of Tuesday, while soldiers and civilians are attempting to reopen blocked roads.

The severe weather, which culminated over the weekend, resulted in devastation to homes, as well as causing power cuts in some areas.

Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said a National Emergency Committee remains in permanent session to monitor the affected states, allocating resources and supporting communities.

“We are sparing no resources to support the population affected by the rains,” she said.

What has happened in Mexico?

Heavy rain followed as two tropical storms off Mexico’s western coast converged, causing rivers to overflow.

The downpours are thought to have come from Tropical Storm Priscilla, formerly a hurricane, and Tropical Storm Raymond.

President Sheinbaum said that the “greatest urgency” was to reopen roads as well as bring food supplies and water to affected communities.

Health teams have already begun fumigating affected areas to prevent outbreaks of dengue, a disease spread by mosquitoes.

Where in Mexico have floods hit?

The worst-affected states are Veracruz; Hidalgo, which is north of Mexico City; and Puebla, east of Mexico City. It is thought Hidalgo has been hit the hardest with around 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed due to floods and mudslides, as well as power cuts to at least 150 communities.

Mexico's Civil Protection agency said the heavy rains had killed 29 people in Veracruz state on the Gulf Coast as of Monday morning and approximately 21 people in Hidalgo state.

At least 13 were killed in Puebla. Meanwhile, in the central state of Queretaro, a child died in a landslide.

Residents in the oil town of Poza Rica said floodwaters left black, oily residue believed to have come from nearby oil and gas installations, coating trees and rooftops.

Mexico has deployed some 10,000 troops in addition to civilian rescue teams. Helicopters have carried food and water to communities that remain cut off and have rescued those sick and injured.

What is the governments’ advice?

The UK government does not have any specific advice relating to the severe weather.

Separately, the UK’s Foreign Office advises all but essential travel to parts of Tijuana, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero and Chiapas. Some exceptions within these areas apply.

The Foreign Office also gives wider advice on extreme weather and natural disasters in Mexico. It explains that the hurricane season in Mexico usually runs from June to November and can affect the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

Hurricanes often cause floods, landslides and disruption to local services, including transport networks. The government advises monitoring local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Centre and following the advice of local authorities and your tour operator, including evacuation orders.

The US government issued a weather alert on Thursday 9 October for travellers ahead of the devastation caused by both tropical storms. It advised people to check with their airline for updates, check road conditions prior to travelling, monitor local media and follow directions from local officials, or call 911 in the event of an emergency.

Are flights to Mexico affected?

There have been no significant disruptions to flights in and around the affected areas during the aftermath of the flooding.

Mexico City Airport, Veracruz Airport, and Puebla Airport have all seen little to no disruption since Monday morning.

Will my holiday to Mexico be cancelled?

As the FCDO has not warned against non-essential travel to Mexico, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund.

The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it’s best to contact them if you’re looking to postpone.

There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance due to safety concerns unless government advice changes.

If you do have travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination.

Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.

Read more: Deadly landslides and flooding cut off 300 communities in Mexico