Key Takeaways
- During October 2025, extreme rainfall from Tropical Storms Raymond and Priscilla caused catastrophic flooding in Poza Rica, Veracruz, submerging large parts of the city.
- The Cazones River, which had already suffered a hydrocarbon spill in September 2025, overflowed again, worsening contamination.
- The CAEV (Comisión de Agua del Estado de Veracruz / Water Commission of the State of Veracruz) confirmed a temporary suspension of potable water service due to oil traces and turbidity beyond safe limits.
- PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos) is responsible for cleaning up the hydrocarbon spill that entered the Santa María stream, one of the river’s tributaries.
- ADO (Autobuses de Oriente) suspended intercity bus routes as flooding cut off roads across northern Veracruz.
- As of 12 October 2025, 10:41 a.m. (Netherlands time), floodwaters were receding, power restoration had begun, and water service remained restricted in several neighborhoods.
Story & Details
The Flood in Poza Rica
The flooding in Poza Rica was described by residents as unprecedented. Streets, markets, and homes vanished beneath brown water after the Cazones River burst its banks.
Images from verified local videos show rescue boats navigating between rooftops and submerged vehicles.
The Central de Abastos (Wholesale Market District) and low-lying areas near Arroyo Garibaldi were among the worst hit.
ADO (Autobuses de Oriente), the main intercity transport line, halted services on its northern Veracruz routes, including Poza Rica, Papantla, Tuxpan, and Tampico.
Major media such as Associated Press, Reuters, and El País confirmed between 28 and 41 fatalities, depending on the source.
The CFE (Federal Electricity Commission) began restoring electrical service once floodwaters started to drop.
The Hydrocarbon Spill and Its Consequences
One month earlier, in September 2025, a hydrocarbon leak from a PEMEX pipeline contaminated the Santa María stream, which flows into the Cazones River.
This led CAEV to suspend the city’s water supply due to the risk of poisoning. The contamination left oil traces visible in the water and a strong odor across parts of the city.
CAEV’s measurements recorded turbidity levels of around 2,900 ppm (parts per million)—far above the treatment plant’s safety limit.
Distribution of potable water was temporarily handled through tanker trucks and portable purification systems.
When the Floods Returned
When Storm Raymond hit in early October 2025, the situation worsened.
The massive floodwaters reactivated and spread residual oil from the September spill, while also introducing new contaminants from urban runoff.
As a result, CAEV kept the supply suspension in effect across several sectors of Poza Rica.
According to La Opinión de Poza Rica, operations would only resume after PEMEX completes the full cleanup of the contaminated tributary.
This overlap between industrial pollution and climate-driven flooding created a compound emergency that affected drinking water safety, transportation, and public health.
Community Response and Human Solidarity
The people of Poza Rica responded with resilience.
The DIF (National System for Integral Family Development) coordinated shelters and collection centers for food, clothes, and hygiene supplies.
Civic groups, churches, and volunteers worked side by side to deliver bottled water and cleaning materials.
Local media praised the collaboration between residents, emergency workers, and oil industry employees who joined cleanup operations.
Despite deep losses, these acts of solidarity helped the city endure one of its hardest crises in years.
How the Flood and Spill Are Connected
Though the oil contamination and the floods originated separately, their effects became interlinked.
- The September hydrocarbon spill deposited oil residues in the riverbed and soil.
- The October floodwaters then redistributed these residues, aggravating pollution and forcing renewed suspension of potable water service.
Thus, the flooding didn’t cause the contamination, but it amplified its impact—making recovery slower and more complex.
Entities & Roles Index
- CAEV (Comisión de Agua del Estado de Veracruz): State water authority responsible for suspension and monitoring of potable water service.
- PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos): National oil company leading cleanup after the hydrocarbon spill in the Santa María stream.
- ADO (Autobuses de Oriente): Intercity bus company; suspended operations due to flooding.
- CFE (Federal Electricity Commission): Restored power to critical infrastructure after the storm.
- DIF (National System for Integral Family Development): Managed aid distribution and family shelters.
- Cazones River / Santa María Stream: Waterways central to both flooding and contamination.
- Poza Rica and Álamo: Municipalities most heavily affected.
- Major media (Associated Press, Reuters, El País, Infobae, La Opinión, Diario de Xalapa): Verified reporting sources.
Chronology (Europe/Amsterdam Time)
- September 2025: Hydrocarbon spill from PEMEX contaminates the Santa María stream and Cazones River; CAEV suspends potable water service.
- 10 October 2025 (evening, Netherlands): Storm Raymond brings torrential rains; flooding begins, ADO suspends routes.
- 11–12 October 2025: Relief operations intensify; partial power restoration; water service still suspended in contaminated sectors.
- 12 October 2025, 10:41 a.m. (Netherlands time): Situation verified—partial recovery, ongoing monitoring, PEMEX cleanup pending completion.
Conclusions
The disaster that struck Poza Rica in 2025 was both environmental and human.
The flood, fueled by tropical storms, collided with the aftermath of industrial pollution from a hydrocarbon spill.
This dual crisis revealed the vulnerability of water systems to both human negligence and extreme weather.
While authorities work to restore full service, the true recovery lies in the city’s collective resilience—the thousands of ordinary citizens who shared food, water, and hope in the middle of chaos.
Sources
- CAEV Poza Rica (Facebook) — Official post confirming suspension of water supply due to hydrocarbon presence in the river.
https://www.facebook.com/ElTotonacoMakatsinan/posts/caev-suspende-suministro-de-agua-en-poza-rica-por-presencia-de-hidrocarburo-en-e/1255240603298333/ - El Buen Tono — “Water supply suspended in Poza Rica due to oil presence in the Cazones River.”
https://www.elbuentono.com.mx/suspenden-suministro-de-agua-en-poza-rica-por-presencia-de-aceite-en-el-rio-cazones/ - Gobernantes — “CAEV halts water supply due to hydrocarbon stains in the Cazones River.”
https://www.gobernantes.com/vernota.php?id=491772 - Enteratever — “Water supply suspended in Poza Rica after hydrocarbon detected in river intake.”
https://www.enteratever.com/suspenden-suministro-de-agua-en-poza-rica-por-presencia-de-hidrocarburo/ - AVC Noticias — “Water supply suspended in Poza Rica for hydrocarbon contamination.”
https://www.avcnoticias.com.mx/noticias-veracruz/norte/370333/suspenden-suministro-de-agua-en-poza-rica-por-contaminaci-in-con-hidrocarburo.html - La Opinión de Poza Rica — “CAEV will not resume service until PEMEX completes cleanup of the Santa María stream.”
https://laopinion.net/sin-reanudar-suministro-de-agua-potable/ - Associated Press — “Heavy rain in Mexico sets off floods and landslides, killing at least 41.”
https://apnews.com/article/3ade24258fd08b2f13092157a37874bc - Reuters — “Heavy rains in Mexico leave nearly 30 dead.”
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/heavy-rains-mexico-leave-more-than-20-dead-2025-10-10/ - El País — “Mexico floods: rains leave dozens dead; emergency declared in several states.”
https://elpais.com/mexico/2025-10-11/mexico-se-inunda-las-lluvias-dejan-personas-muertas-y-emergencia-en-varios-estados.html - Infobae — “Poza Rica and Álamo, the municipalities most affected in Veracruz by Tropical Storm Raymond.”
https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2025/10/11/poza-rica-y-alamo-los-municipios-mas-afectados-en-veracruz-por-tormenta-tropical-raymond/ - El Universal (YouTube) — “Flooding in Poza Rica leaves moving images.” (Verified and active)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2iS7TxwVmA - El Heraldo de México (YouTube) — “80 percent of Veracruz under water! Poza Rica devastated after the Cazones River overflowed.” (Verified and active)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILs9iUgz7ZY
Appendix
Translation — “Central de Abastos” (translated from Spanish)
“Wholesale Market District / Central Supply Market.” Refers to a major commercial area severely flooded during the storm.
Definition — ADO (Autobuses de Oriente)
Mexican intercity bus company that temporarily suspended routes for safety during the floods.
Definition — CFE (Federal Electricity Commission)
National electric utility company responsible for restoring power to affected areas after the storm.
Definition — DIF (National System for Integral Family Development)
Public welfare organization coordinating shelters and humanitarian aid for affected families.
Definition — CAEV (Comisión de Agua del Estado de Veracruz)
State-level water authority responsible for potable water distribution, treatment, and emergency response during contamination and floods.
Definition — PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos)
Mexico’s national oil company, responsible for cleaning up the hydrocarbon spill that contaminated the Santa María stream.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 