The State Civil Protection branch in Southern Baja California has begun cleaning streams across the state’s five municipalities as a preventive measure ahead of the 2025 hurricane season, which officially starts on Thursday, May 15.
The efforts focus on clearing arroyo channels and streams in major cities to reduce flooding and runoff risks during these annual meteorological events. Undersecretary of Civil Protection Héctor Amparano noted that the current drought has enabled an early start, as the lack of rain has made normally waterlogged areas more accessible for maintenance.
“We are suffering from a drought, which has allowed us to start cleaning some stream beds,” Amparano said. “Next Thursday, we’ll continue to work in the dry stream of San Lucas and clean all arroyo streams across the five municipalities.”
In La Paz, Amparano reported that around 6,000 people live in high-risk areas, fewer than in Los Cabos, though the challenge persists. “For every person evicted from these zones, three more move in,” he added.
He also noted that recent site inspections revealed new obstructions and unauthorized settlements, especially in San José del Cabo, which complicates preventive efforts.
“It’s a never-ending story, and municipal authorities must step up. There are 45,000 people at risk in San José. If illegal settlements are allowed to continue, you remove one today and three more appear tomorrow,” Amparano stated. He emphasized the need for municipal coordination with state and federal agencies.
The clean-up is being carried out in phases across municipalities, based on operational capacity and available resources. Support from the armed forces, especially the National Guard, has been vital in debris removal and other tasks.
These operations also include infrastructure checks, risk assessments, and coordination with the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) to manage federally controlled arroyo channels. Amparano confirmed that Civil Protection will continue these efforts in the coming weeks as hurricane season nears.
The region’s poorest residents, many living in makeshift wooden homes along arroyos, are most vulnerable, often losing everything, including their homes and lives when hurricanes strike. For Los Cabos, this annual crisis begins with the first drops of rain and escalates into a disaster of high winds, severe flooding, and lightning.