Almost five days after tropical storm Helene passed through Quintana Roo, the city of Cancún is still facing serious problems with water and electricity supply. Although the phenomenon did not cause catastrophic damage to the tourist destination, various popular neighborhoods and subdivisions have not yet seen basic services fully restored, causing discomfort and concern among residents.
The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and the water concessionaire Aguakan have been criticized for their slow response, as large areas of Cancún continue to experience low water pressure, making it difficult to fill water tanks and affecting the daily lives of thousands of inhabitants.
Among the most affected areas are superblocks ranging from the center to the south of Cancún, as well as surrounding neighborhoods such as Bonfil and high-end areas like Puerto Cancún and the tourist zone.
Aguakan has indicated that the main problem lies in the interruption of the electricity supply at the water collection stations, which has significantly reduced pressure and affected distribution in several regions of the city.
From superblocks 1 to 40, through the most popular areas in the south, water supply problems have persisted. Although most hotels and tourist complexes have alternative systems such as water tanks and pressure pumps, in popular neighborhoods residents rely on homemade solutions, such as installing private pressure pumps, to get water to upper floors. This situation is not new, as service deficiencies have been recurring since before the storm.
The electricity supply has followed a similar trajectory. Although many subdivisions regained power a few hours after the storm, there are neighborhoods that still suffer from intermittent outages.
Areas like Paseos del Caribe, in the regions known as the “500s,” took more than 18 hours to restore electrical service, and still face public lighting problems, making these areas potential hotspots for insecurity. Residents have complained about the lack of street lighting, a problem that has worsened after the storm and facilitates criminal activity in these communities.
In more central areas, such as the neighborhoods located behind Plaza Outlet, recurring blackouts are also reported, causing concern both for safety and for the inconvenience of constant power cuts. This situation has affected not only homes but also businesses that depend on a constant electricity supply.
The storm Helene, which brushed the Mexican Caribbean without causing major damage, has exposed the vulnerabilities of public services in Cancún. Although the city is in a major tourist area, infrastructure problems continue to affect thousands of local residents.
Authorities, both municipal and state, are under pressure to improve the response and definitively solve the deficiencies in water and electricity distribution, especially given the possibility of new storms impacting the region during the hurricane season.
This situation, although not critical from a tourist point of view, has a significant impact on the quality of life of local residents and poses challenges for the future, both in terms of infrastructure and crisis management.
“The passage of Helene leaves a clear lesson: the need to strengthen basic service systems in Cancún to ensure that the effects of tropical storms do not cause prolonged interruptions in essential services such as water and electricity.”
Source: Debate
