Mexico City is a vibrant metropolis full of life, but it is also full of tragic stories that have left an indelible mark in the collective memory of its inhabitants. One of them is the great flood of Mexico City that occurred on July 16, 1951.
In this article, I will take you through the details of this tragedy and explore its impact on Mexico City and its inhabitants.
Photo gallery of the flood of 1951
Here is one of the most complete photo galleries of the 1951 flood in Mexico City, where you can appreciate this unusual event.
The Day the City Was No Longer the Same
On July 16, 1951, a strong tropical storm hit Mexico City, bringing heavy rains that lasted several days. The city had experienced heavy rains in the past, but this time it was different:
The rains were more intense and lasting than in the last century. The Magdalena River, which flows through the city, quickly overflowed its banks and began to flood the streets, carrying everything in its path. The situation quickly became catastrophic, with thousands of people stranded in their homes and vehicles as the water continued to rise.
What was the flood of 1951 like?
The flood was caused by heavy rainfall that lasted for months and covered several areas of the Mexico Basin.
The water level accumulated in the center of the city was high enough that people had to use wooden boats and rubber rafts to transport themselves; it is said that the height reached 30 centimeters.
Some scientific articles indicate that the flood lasted approximately three months, the city was submerged in two thirds with a depth of two meters in the lower areas.
How bad was the 1951 flood?
The flood was one of the most serious floods Mexico City has ever experienced and an estimated 30,000 people died in total, drowned or from flood-caused diseases in the years that followed.
The catastrophe marked an entire generation of capital city residents and affected the city’s economy, health, education and transportation.
The foundations of all the buildings were damaged and many ended up collapsing some time later, this also caused many foundations to be weakened which later caused major catastrophes in the 1986 earthquake.
The flooding also caused the city to sink, which has worsened over time due to overexploitation of the aquifers.
Lessons for a new generation
The flooding highlighted the need to improve the city’s water infrastructure and water resource management.
Thanks to this event, Mexico City authorities decided to pipe the Churubusco River and build several pumping plants for the main collectors to the Grand Canal.
Capacity was also increased through the application of hydraulic sections and the construction of a second Tequixquiac tunnel, which was completed in 1954.
Currently in the city there are several works which are intended to solve this problem that still continues due to heavy rains and different factors such as the clogging of pipes with garbage, lack of maintenance, unplanned urban development, etc.
I leave you a video with a little more information below.
How many people died in the flood of July 16, 1951?
Some sources say that there were between 5 and 10 people, but there are more who died from the diseases caused by this event for which there is no reliable documentation.
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