Flights at Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport were suspended for several hours on Sunday after torrential rains swept through the capital, causing severe flooding and drastically reducing visibility.
Airport authorities announced the halt in operations just before 9:00 pm local time (0300 GMT), citing safety concerns.
“Due to the 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 said in a statement on its official X account. Officials added that the pause was necessary to drain excess rainwater and restore the airport’s full operational capacity.
Benito Juarez International, one of Latin America’s busiest air hubs, handled more than 45 million passengers in 2024. The disruption impacted numerous travelers as crews worked to clear flooded runways and improve visibility.
The intense downpour also wreaked havoc on the city’s streets, flooding major roads and submerging vehicles in water up to 50 centimeters (19 inches) deep in some areas. In response, Mexico City’s government issued a purple alert — the highest warning level — for the central districts of the sprawling metropolis, home to more than nine million residents.
Operations at the airport gradually resumed after conditions improved, but the event underscored the vulnerability of the city’s infrastructure to extreme weather, which experts warn could become more frequent due to climate change.
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