A relentless storm unleashed an astonishing 7.5 inches (190 mm) of rain overnight Monday, overwhelming streets, toppling trees, and flooding dozens of businesses across the city.
According to meteorologist Víctor Manuel Cornejo López, this single event surpassed the infamous August 31, 2010 storm—in which just over seven inches fell—by a narrow margin. But while the 2010 downpour struck hard and fast inland, this latest deluge settled at the foot of the mountains and lingered all night, allowing the storm’s core to unload steadily.
Heavy flows in the Caule River basin sent water surging into low-lying districts. By dawn, drivers were abandoning stalled cars on flooded avenues, and shop owners were busy shoveling mud and debris from their storefronts. Cleanup crews scrambled to clear more than 30 fallen trees that blocked key routes.
Local restaurant owner Jorge Ramírez described the scene: “By midnight, water was ankle-deep on our patio. We braced for a flash flood but instead got a slow, persistent downpour. It felt endless.”
City sanitation workers raced to unclog storm drains choked by garbage and fallen branches. Cornejo López warned that these blockages turned what might have been a manageable flood into widespread inundation.
“Seven and a half inches in one night is extreme,” he said. “But when drains are clogged, even moderate rain becomes a hazard.”
Mayor Carolina Reyes urged residents to clear debris from gutters and properly dispose of trash to keep waterways flowing. She dispatched additional crews to known trouble spots and activated emergency hotlines for stranded motorists.
No serious injuries have been reported, but preliminary damage estimates to commercial properties and public infrastructure run into the hundreds of thousands of pesos. Small businesses are tallying losses as insurers begin to process claims.
With hurricane season underway, forecasters warn that Tropical Wave Erick could bring more heavy rains later this week. Cornejo López says the city must learn from Monday’s storm.
“We can’t stop the rain,” he noted, “but we can keep our drains clear and our response swift.”
As residents dry out and repair damage, the focus will be on how the city handles the next downpour—and whether 7.5 inches will ever again become the new benchmark for a single night’s rain.
