Mexico’s National Civil Protection Command has identified 27 critical flood points across all five municipalities in Baja California Sur, with Los Cabos accounting for nearly half of them. The assessment, released July 8, places 798,447 residents at medium to very high risk during the current hurricane and rainy season.
Los Cabos leads the state with 12 high-risk flood sites. La Paz follows with 10. The remaining five points are spread across Comondú, Mulegé, and Loreto.
Specific Arroyos Named as Danger Points
National Civil Protection coordinator Laura Velázquez Alzúa called out several arroyos by name. The El Zacatal stream in Los Cabos contains three critical flood points on its own. In La Paz, the Calandrio and El Piojillo arroyos each have two critical points. Other waterways across the state have at least one zone where overflow could affect nearby residents.
Comondú, home to Ciudad Constitución and Ciudad Insurgentes, received the highest overall risk classification: “very high.” Its geography funnels rainwater from neighboring municipalities during heavy storms, concentrating runoff in low-lying areas. The BCS state government has previously documented flooding in the El Mangle area of Ciudad Constitución.
Risk Map Uses Color-Coded System
Velázquez Alzúa explained the state’s risk map during the announcement. Red zones indicate very high risk. Orange marks high risk. Yellow represents medium risk. All five BCS municipalities carry at least a medium flood risk rating, according to data provided by CONAGUA (Mexico’s National Water Commission).
The coordinator stressed that people living in or near vulnerable areas need to know their risk level before a storm arrives, not after. A permanent Civil Protection Command Post is now operational statewide to coordinate emergency response.
Over 160 Emergency Shelters Available
Baja California Sur has more than 160 temporary shelters ready to receive displaced residents. These facilities can house evacuees for days or even weeks, according to civil protection officials. Residents near arroyos or in low-lying neighborhoods in Los Cabos, La Paz, or Comondú should identify their nearest shelter and establish an evacuation route now.
The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30. BCS sits in one of the most active tropical cyclone corridors in the Pacific. Residents and visitors can monitor storm alerts through CONAGUA and local Civil Protection channels. This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.