← Explore on the interactive map
Great Flood of Mexico City
In November 1604, continuous heavy rains and a surge in Lake Texcoco caused a severe flood in Mexico City, prompting emergency drainage and relief by…
Timeline
- 1604Urban area of Mexico City · Valley of MexicoDays of heavy rain sharply raised the water levels of Lake Texcoco and the Xochimilco system; lake water flowed back into the city through old Aztec canals and low-lying districts, turning streets into rivers and severely soaking low buildings and warehouses.
- 1604–1605Mexico City · MexicoThe viceroyalty mobilized laborers to dredge waterways, reinforce embankments, and resettle victims; church and municipal institutions participated in relief. Post-disaster assessments again emphasized the need for systematic overhaul of valley drainage, building pressure for subsequent large-scale hydraulic plans.
Sources
- Floods in Mexico City https://www.britannica.com/place/Mexico-City/Drainage
- La ciudad de México y sus lagos: historia de una relación conflictiva — Luis González