Operations at Benito Juárez International Airport were suspended for several hours on Sunday after torrential rains flooded parts of the capital and significantly reduced visibility, authorities confirmed.
“Due to heavy rainfall this afternoon and based on reports of low visibility… the aeronautical authority has ordered the suspension of landing and takeoff operations for the next 3 hours,” the airport announced via its official X (formerly Twitter) account shortly before 9:00 p.m. local time (0300 GMT).
Officials said the pause in air traffic would allow teams to drain floodwaters from runways and restore full operational capacity.
Benito Juárez International, one of Latin America’s busiest airports, handled over 45.4 million passengers in 2024 and is a vital hub for both domestic and international travel.
The downpour also submerged several major roads in Mexico City, with floodwaters reaching depths of up to 50 centimeters (19 inches) in some areas. In response, city authorities activated a purple alert — the highest on the scale — for central districts of the metropolis, which is home to more than nine million residents.
Mexico’s rainy season, which typically runs from May to November, often brings severe weather, including hurricanes and tropical storms.
Just last June, Hurricane Erick battered parts of southern Mexico, claiming two lives and damaging coastal communities. In October 2023, Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm, devastated Acapulco, killing dozens. Hurricane John, a Category 3 system that struck in September 2023, left at least 15 people dead.
AFP
