Heavy rains in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, provoked flooding and power outages last night, and shut down two international border crossings.

The downpour began at 6:30pm and lasted until 11:30, with lingering showers following until early this morning. Over the course of the evening, floodwaters stranded vehicles and inundated the city’s IMSS hospital.

Additionally, Mexican and United States authorities decided to close the Anzaldúas and Hidalgo international bridges — both busy international points of entry between the two countries — due to flooding.

The rising water also forced some residents to flee their homes. In response, Tamaulipas Governor Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca announced over Facebook and Twitter that Civil Protection officials and authorities from the state water commission had been ordered to Reynosa to assist those left temporarily homeless.

Meanwhile, municipal authorities and firefighters remained on high alert and recommended that citizens remain indoors.

On social media, residents posted pictures and video from affected areas, requesting government help with evacuations, while others offered their homes and warehouses located on higher ground as temporary shelters for families in need.

Flooding was also severe on the other side of the border, where officials in McAllen, Pharr and Edinburg, Texas, reported power outages and emergency evacuations of residents to temporary shelters opened in local schools.

Source: Milenio (sp), El Financiero (sp)