Torrential rains last night brought flooding in two municipalities in México state, damaging property and leaving vehicles under water.

Intense rains accompanied by hail began at 6:00pm in Atizapán de Zaragoza and lasted for an hour and a half, dumping 50 milliliters per hour of water onto the municipality. The deluge caused the Moritas river to spill over its banks, flooding the municipal sports club and Zaragoza Theater, along with several homes.

Elsewhere in the municipality, floodwaters mixed with wastewater and engulfed the ground floor of the Salvador González Herrejón General Hospital. The Atizapán-Nicolás Romero highway was also inundated near the municipality’s warehouse district, submerging vehicles and cutting off traffic.

To minimize the damage brought on by the flooding, the municipal government activated an emergency flood plan supported by 200 government employees, drainage trucks and other heavy equipment.

In Cuautitlán Izcalli, local authorities were forced to carry out a “controlled” release of water from the Ángulo Dam after it reached capacity.

The resulting floodwaters rushed into homes in several neighborhoods and submerged vehicles. In one instance, police came to the rescue of a man and woman whose van was left under water.

No casualties have been reported.

Source: El Universal (sp)