Severe flooding also prompted the closure of the tunnel at the intersection of Avenida Lopez Mateos and Las Rosas. Motorists scrambled from their vehicles on Sunday evening as the water level suddenly began to rise dangerously. Around a dozen vehicles were partly submerged until the water receded several hours after the storm ceased.
City and state authorities kept the tunnel closed this week as inspectors sought to locate the cause of the problem.
The Las Rosas tunnel only opened in 2006 and preliminary investigations suggest that construction work damaged or blocked the colector (drain or sewage line) running under Lopez Mateos. The finger pointing game has already started, with officials from the previous state administration who signed off on the tunnel as safe likely to face the most vigorous scrutiny. Repairs to the colector could cost as much as 30 million pesos, according to one estimate.
Despite the problems on Lopez Mateos, Guadalajara Mayor Alfonso Petersen said he was pleased that the flooding had only caused light material damage and declared that the municipality’s pre-rainy season programs to clear drains of garbage had been successful. Nonetheless, the mayor admitted that even with major investment in hydraulic infrastructure, it would be unrealistic to imagine that Guadalajara could eliminate all flood risks in the foreseeable future.
In Zapopan, the area around Plaza del Sol and in Colonia Las Aguilas suffered from recurrent rainy season flooding.
Meanwhile, there were reports of malfunctioning traffic lights at dozens of major intersections, while 33 trees blew over in the fierce winds.
Weather experts expect ten to 15 percent more rain to fall on Jalisco than in 2007.
