Tunnel Collapses in Oaxaca Following Rain from Hurricane Erick

The Mitla-Isthmus highway was inaugurated just this past January 24 as one of the Federal Government’s flagship projects aimed at improving connectivity between central and southeastern Mexico. However, the tunnel collapse has exposed the structural fragility of the project in the face of natural phenomena and sparked criticism over its planning and technical oversight.

According to initial reports from Civil Protection authorities, the terrain where the tunnel was built is currently unstable and at high risk of further landslides. The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) has announced that a temporary detour is already being developed to restore traffic flow as quickly as possible, while structural damage is assessed and a comprehensive repair plan is designed.

The situation has drawn international attention, as the highway is part of the strategic routes within the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec a major infrastructure initiative with global commercial implications. Experts say incidents like this underscore the urgent need to build infrastructure that is more resilient to climate change and the increasingly frequent extreme weather events in the region.