Firefighters in La Paz rescued 15 people, including four children, after they became trapped by fast-rising water in the San Blas arroyo on Sunday afternoon. The incident happened a day before Hurricane Polo, a Category 3 storm, was forecast to bring its effects to central Baja California Sur.
The group had been visiting the area known as Cascada Los Barriles when rain in the surrounding mountains caused the arroyo to swell suddenly. According to local reports, the visitors climbed onto a large rock to escape the current, but the force of the water made it impossible for them to get back to solid ground on their own.
What Happened
The emergency call came in around 5 p.m. Sunday. Ten firefighters in two units responded and found the group cut off from the trail they had originally used to enter the area, according to Tribuna de México.
Rescue crews had to use a chainsaw to cut through dense brush and open a safe evacuation path, a process that took about an hour. Once the route was cleared, firefighters made contact with the group and carried out a gradual extraction, prioritizing the four minors. All 15 people, made up of 11 adults and four children, were brought out safely and taken for a medical check. No injuries were reported.
What Officials Say
La Paz acting Mayor Amor Fenech Montaño, filling in for elected mayor Milena Quiroga Romero who is on leave; confirmed the rescue on social media Sunday evening. “Thanks to the swift response of the La Paz Fire Department in San Blas, 11 adults and 4 minors were rescued and taken to a safe area. My recognition to the whole team for their work and commitment to protecting people’s lives. During the rains, let’s avoid entering or crossing arroyos and follow the recommendations of the authorities,” she wrote.
City secretary general Jehú Vázquez Savín said the group had gone to spend time at the arroyo and got caught by an unexpected surge of water coming down from the mountains, a common occurrence in the area during the rainy season. He asked residents to take the risks of a Category 3 hurricane seriously and stay alert to official guidance, noting that the operation also involved Grupo Voluntario Calafia, municipal Civil Protection and the La Paz police.
What Residents and Visitors Should Know
The rescue came as Hurricane Polo tracked toward the Baja California Sur coast, with landfall-area effects expected around 6 p.m. Monday in the Comondú and Mulegé area, according to El Sudcaliforniano. Even areas well outside the storm’s direct path can see arroyos rise within minutes as rain from outer bands funnels down from the sierra.
Local authorities routinely close low-lying road crossings, known as vados, when water levels rise, and several were already restricted around La Paz and Los Barriles ahead of Polo’s arrival. For residents and visitors alike, the practical takeaway is straightforward: during the hurricane season, which runs through November in this part of Mexico, avoid entering arroyo beds or lingering near waterfalls and streams once rain begins, even if the sky looks clear where you are standing. Conditions upstream can change the water level in these channels far faster than they appear to from the ground.
What’s Next
Municipal officials say Civil Protection will continue monitoring rainfall and river levels through the duration of Hurricane Polo’s passage near the peninsula. Residents can check for closures and advisories through the La Paz municipal government’s official channels, which is the fastest way to confirm whether a specific road, vado or recreation area is safe to use during storm season.
