Puerto Vallarta Malecón hit by strong surf

Strong surf pushed seawater, stones and sand onto Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón, prompting closures, cleanup and continued warnings for people to stay out of the sea.

The most significant impacts occurred on October 1, when swell and high waves overtopped the Paseo Díaz Ordaz and dragged stones and sand to Morelos street. A video recorded at about 21:48 that night shows waves hitting the Malecón and seawater emerging through a point in the pavement beside El Caballito. The scene followed several days of swells along the tourist strip and caused concern among users about the condition of the area.

On September 26, waves covered the sculpture and crossed the Malecón as far as Morelos street, and Protección Civil cordoned off the area. The cordon extended along the Malecón and Morelos, from the Faro area to the Presidencia Municipal, because of risks to pedestrians and motorists. Pedestrian access was restricted while crews inspected possible damage. Public transportation and private vehicles were diverted along alternate routes.

By Sunday, October 4, three days after the overtopping on October 1, municipal authorities were continuing cleanup and sanitation work. Crews removed stones, sand and sediment from the promenade and roadway using manual labor, machinery and water cleaning. Three days later, work crews were still removing material accumulated along this part of the tourist strip. Personnel from Mantenimiento y Maquinaria were also opening stormwater outlets and channels near Hotel Buenaventura, in the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood and at Los Camarones along the bypass. Elements of Protección Civil y Bomberos de Puerto Vallarta, Seapal Vallarta, the Dirección de Infraestructura y Obra Pública and Protección Civil Jalisco participated in the work.

Protección Civil y Bomberos said high waves were still prevailing in the coastal area, while preventive and sanitation work continued. A red flag remained at all beaches in Puerto Vallarta on Sunday, and authorities continued recommending that people avoid entering the sea and follow Salvamento Acuático personnel’s instructions.

El Caballito was created in 1976 by Rafael Zamarripa. The sculpture’s current platform dates from 2011. An earlier version from the late 1960s stood on Los Muertos beach and was carried away by a storm. The sculpture was originally installed in another area of the promenade. After Hurricane “Roslyn” passed in 2022, Protección Civil reported damage to the sculpture’s structure.

Ricardo Gutiérrez, who shared the video, suggested that seepage might mean the sea had undermined the ground beside the sculpture and asked whether it was at risk. That suggestion is a personal hypothesis, not a technical assessment or confirmation by authorities. No official information confirms that El Caballito is at risk, and no specific structural inspection has been publicly disclosed for the area where the water appears.

Visitors planning to walk the Malecón should follow any cordons and check beach warnings before approaching the shoreline.