Flood surveillance throughout New Mexico and the risk of rapid flooding at life-threatening levels in parts of Texas stem from the massive flow of water from Hurricane Polo to the south-west of the United States. At the same time, the Pacific coast of Mexico and the Baja California peninsula are directly affected by hurricanes, storms and storm surges, with severe flooding and casualties in many parts of Mexico. Monitoring data from the United States National Hurricane Center indicate that the remaining cloud system in Poirot is pushing water northwards, leading to the operational readiness of several states in the south-western part of the United States mainland. For the inhabitants of the United States, the focus is on the prevention of sudden floods and the accumulation of water on roads; for the coastal and inland inhabitants of Mexico, disasters have actually turned into a real crisis of flooding, disruption of traffic and loss of life.
It was reported that Hurricane Poirot had grown rapidly in the Pacific Ocean and had been upgraded by the United States National Hurricane Center to a category 5 hurricane with a maximum sustained wind rate of approximately 160 miles per hour. The storm centre was located about 175 miles west-west of Siwataneho and about 160 miles south of Mansaniyo. Tropical storm warnings cover the coastline from Tekpande Galeana to Mansanillo. Although the centre of the hurricane then began to be far from the south-west of Mexico, rainfall and coastal hazards persisted. The forecaster of Mexico ' s national meteorological service pointed out that tropical activity this year was unusual, with repeated collisions between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico over central Mexico, coupled with long-term saturation on the ground, constituting the ideal condition for widespread flooding. Peripheral rain belts in Poirot extend northwards and transfer water to the south-west of the United States, becoming the main driving force triggering the local flood threat.
In Mexico, the effects of Hurricane Poirot have shifted from early warning to a substantial disaster. Some 5,700 inhabitants of small Pacific coastal towns in the Baja California peninsula, such as San Carlos in Porto, face direct threats. The local civil defence authorities declared the town to be 90 per cent disaster-prone, the sea water was being pushed into the Channel Avenue, and hundreds of fishing families had abandoned their homes and moved to state shelters in the constitutional town of Sured. Some parts of Sonora State have also been warned of the possible collapse of a bridge along highway 15 in Mexico and the accumulation of water below the bridge. Broader flood data show that at least 41 people have been confirmed dead in central and south-eastern Mexico as a result of continued heavy rainfall, and there are reports that the number of deaths may be as high as 64 and 65 missing. The town of Saportlanejo in Jalisco State was again flooded on Sunday, and local civil defence unit statistics indicate that property damage continues to expand and the streets become rivers. Some communities are still covered by more than one metre of water and mud mixed with garbage and shredded furniture in the Kasonnes River area near the city of Posada. The states of Jalisco and Veracruz are among the most affected, with Veracruz reporting 29 deaths and 18 disappearances, and Jalisco reporting 21 deaths and 43 disappearances. The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, said that the heavy rainfall had exceeded expectations and had affected some 100,000 family homes, and she had arranged a meeting with the Ministry of Finance to discuss reconstruction.
Within the United States, flood surveillance has been issued across the state of New Mexico, and rapid flood warnings of life-threatening levels have been received in parts of Texas. ABC press reports that rapid life-threatening floods are approaching the south-west, including Texas and New Mexico. CNN reported that the state of New Mexico had issued early warning of rapid floods. The Washington Post analyses that the remnants of Hurricane Poirot will pose a serious flood threat to the south-western and central parts of the United States. The El Paso Times paid attention to the local rainfall, noting that the El Paso and Juares regions had experienced flooding caused by severe storms. In the city of Juárez, Mexico, between 22 and 23 September, rainfall reached 62 mm within 24 hours, which, for arid areas, is equivalent to seven weeks of rainfall per night. As a result of the floods, the streets were turned into a morass, with at least 70 vehicles trapped and areas such as the Misions district, Vía Ducto, the Rastores highway, the Anapula route and the Juárez-Porvinier highway completely paralysed, and the floods remained untouched even Wednesday night. Prestlegram.com reports that floods and waves are also in force with the arrival of waves from Poirot. For homeowners, tenants and commuters in the United States, particular attention needs to be paid to the risk of water accumulation in low-lying sections and to avoiding attempts to focus on the latest announcements from local civil defence and transport departments during flood surveillance and early warning.
The disaster affected many groups of people and the response needed to be targeted. For fishers and coastal residents on the Pacific coast of Mexico, storm surges and heavy rains caused by hurricane Poirot have forced some families to evacuate, and civil defence departments have advised them to go to designated shelters to stay away from flooded roads and unstable dams. For the inhabitants of central and south-eastern Mexico, particularly in the affected states of Jalisco, Veracruz, Jalisco and Puebla, the risk of flooding and landslides remains, and it is necessary to guard against secondary disasters caused by the remaining rains and to guard against infection, which may cause health problems from debris and sewage. For residents of New Mexico and Texas, Hurricane Poirot is the main source of threats and, although the wind has a relatively small impact, rainfall can accumulate rapidly, leading to river flooding and urban flooding. Drivers should avoid travelling during early warning periods, especially at night or when visibility is low, and refrain from forcibly passing through water catchment sections. For families living in flood-prone areas, emergency supplies, including drinking water, food and necessary medicines, should be prepared, and attention should be paid to evacuation or risk avoidance guidelines issued by local authorities. It was also mentioned that tropical storm Rachel had also added to the complexity of the regional weather system, but the current focus remained on the water transport and flood risks associated with the Polo residual.
Next, the National Hurricane Center of the United States and the Mexican National Weather Service will continue to track the remaining routes of Poirot and its water vapours. Residents of New Mexico and Texas should keep an eye on flood surveillance and early warning updates issued by local meteorological services and on whether there are any cases where the level of early warning has been upgraded to early warning. For its part, Mexico's civil defence and army are conducting search and rescue operations in the affected areas, and the number of deaths and disappearances may be updated as search and rescue progresses. The affected families need to await further official clarification of reconstruction funding and assistance measures, and the President has indicated that discussions on reconstruction will be held with the Ministry of Finance. For the population of all affected areas, it is of paramount importance that security be put first, that storm warning not be taken lightly, that drainage vents be cleared in a timely manner, that emergency kits be prepared and, where necessary, that evacuation orders be followed by civil defence. As ground saturation has reached its limit, even medium-intensity rainfall can exacerbate flooding, and sustained vigilance and preparedness are necessary.