Protección Civil and fire crews rescued five people from vehicles trapped in flowing arroyos across Los Cabos on Saturday evening, with operations continuing overnight at El Surgidero arroyo near La Ribera, where three vehicles remain stuck in the current.
The rescues followed heavy weekend rain that sent water and debris rushing through Los Cabos drainage channels, a recurring seasonal danger that authorities have warned residents and tourists to avoid.
Municipal Protección Civil Director Francisco Cota Márquez said crews are still working to extract additional passengers from the three vehicles in the El Surgidero arroyo, though officials have not specified how many people remain awaiting rescue. Five individuals were safely evacuated by late Saturday.
Vehicle Swept in Santa Catarina Arroyo
A second incident unfolded around 10:15 p.m. at the Santa Catarina arroyo, where firefighters from San José del Cabo’s Station No. 3 responded to reports of a vehicle being carried downstream.
Crews arriving on scene found the vehicle empty. Bystanders were attempting to tow it to shore when Protección Civil and Seguridad Pública units arrived to take over.
Why Arroyos Are So Dangerous
Cota Márquez explained that the real threat comes from sudden surges in water level and force, caused by runoff pouring down from the mountains—even when it isn’t raining at the location where a person is standing.
“With 30 centimeters of water, a vehicle can be swept away,” he said, according to a statement from the municipality. “A current that looks shallow can have enough force to drag a vehicle and create an emergency.”
What Residents and Visitors Should Know
Municipal authorities are urging the public not to cross arroyos, low-water crossings or areas with standing water—whether on foot or by vehicle—during or after rainfall.
The incidents put both civilians and rescue crews at risk, according to local reports. Emergency personnel had to deploy multiple units across the municipality to respond to the weekend calls.
Residents are asked to report emergencies by dialing 9-1-1 and to follow official safety advisories during the rainy season, which runs through October.
