Before the new collector arrived in Chalco, it began to rain
In the town of Chalco, Mexico, heavy rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday led to another flood in the "zero zone" area, affecting numerous homes and streets in the Cultures of Mexico, Jacalones 2, and Tres Marias colonies. This region, which submerged under water for over a month last year, has experienced multiple floods in the past three years despite promises of aid.
The recently inaugurated Trolebús Santa Martha-Chalco service continued to operate, albeit over black waters in a part of the alternate route affected by ongoing construction of the Solidarity Collector. Local residents expressed frustration, despair, and disbelief as the initial heavy rainfall of the season wreaked havoc in the low-lying parts of the zone once part of the ancient Lake Chalco.
Susana Lechuga, a Jacalones 2 colony resident, shared her disappointment: "My house is flooded again, ruined, we've spent so much effort recovering from last August's flood, which lasted until November due to the old Solidarity Collector collapse. Now everything is destroyed again." Neighbors voiced similar concerns, having lost count of the frequent floods that have occurred over the years.
Residents voiced their dissatisfaction with the authorities, who had initially promised them that the Solidarity Collector would prevent flooding. However, the construction project's completion remains uncertain, with reports suggesting it will be ready next week.
During the flood, several families in Alfredo del Mazo Street, Jacalones colony, took their belongings and left the area to avoid further difficulties. Efrain Morales, the director of the National Water Commission (Conagua), and Chalco mayor Abigail Sanchez inspected the flood-affected areas, with neighborhood residents expressing their frustration about the incomplete Solidarity Collector.
In a broader context, Mexico is investing in various water infrastructure projects aimed at flood control and water management. Further details offering insights into the effect of these projects on Chalco or the Solidarity Collector were not provided.
- The heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in Chalco, Mexico, have raised concerns among residents in the environmental-science field, as the region continues to experience multiple floods despite promises of aid, indicating the need for a more effective approach in climate-change mitigation and weather-forecasting to prevent future disasters.
- As the floodwaters submerged the low-lying parts of Chalco once again, residents like Susana Lechuga question the effectiveness of weather-forecasting and climate-change science, highlighting the lasting impact of these events on their homes and lives.
- The occurrence of floods in Chalco, particularly in colonies like Jacalones 2 and Tres Marias, underscores the urgent need for modernized climate-change and environmental-science research, with a focus on weather-forecasting, to help prevent such disasters in the future and ensure the safety and well-being of local communities.
