The collapse of a section of the filled bridge that connects Santa Elena with Flores Island interrupted this Tuesday, June 16, the main access to one of the most important tourist destinations in Petén. The incident occurs despite the fact that the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) had warned since 2025 about the deterioration of the structure and the risk that the damage would affect the connectivity between both sectors.
The incident occurred at the entrance to Flores Island, where a part of the structure gave way after several years of reports about its deterioration. After the collapse, the authorities restricted vehicular passage for safety.
According to reports at the scene, only some vehicles from neighbors and offices located on the island managed to enter before the total access was closed. The authorities keep the passage blocked while the damage is assessed.
Flores Island is one of the main tourist centers in the department of Petén and is a strategic point for national and foreign visitors who tour the region. The closure of the main access complicates connectivity to the area and generates concern among residents and sectors linked to tourism.
Warning from 2025
The deterioration of the bridges and the landfill that connect Santa Elena with the municipal seat of Flores had already been warned by Conred.
A technical report prepared by the Conred Mitigation Directorate, to which Prensa Libre and Guatevisión had access, identified since January 2025 damage to the landfill and the structures that link both sectors.
The evaluation was requested by the Municipality of Flores on November 25, 2024 and was carried out on January 9, 2025 with the participation of Conred personnel, the Road Conservation Execution Unit (Covial) and local authorities.
According to the document, the increase in the level of Lake Petén Itzá and the constant action of the waves caused erosion in the filling material, a situation that left piles and concrete structural elements that support the bridges exposed.
The technicians also documented undermining at different points, exposure of basic service pipes, fallen trees on the banks of the evaluated sector and deformations in the rockfill protected with metal mesh located at the bottom of the structures.
Risk of loss of connectivity
Among the conclusions of the report, Conred warned that, if an adequate intervention is not carried out, the damage could worsen and cause the loss of the road surface, with direct effects on the connectivity between Santa Elena and Flores.
The institution recommended carrying out specialized studies to evaluate the load capacity of the bridges, as well as maintaining constant monitoring of the undercuts to verify their evolution during the rainy season and in the event of strong wind events.
In addition, the report established that the evaluated area is located within an area susceptible to flooding, according to the municipal threat maps prepared by Conred.
Mayor speaks out
The mayor of Flores, Eduardo Méndez, stated that the collapse was a risk that municipal authorities had warned about for several years.
“Today we face a situation that we warned about for years and that unfortunately ended up happening: the collapse of a part of the Relleno Bridge that connects our beloved Flores Island,” he wrote on his social networks.
The mayor assured that for more than two years they carried out negotiations with different institutions to find a solution to the deterioration of the structure.
“For more than two years we have made constant efforts with the competent authorities, traveling to Guatemala City on multiple occasions and presenting the problem with the aim of finding a definitive solution. However, despite our efforts, the response that our population needed did not arrive in time,” he added.
Méndez indicated that the municipality ordered the closure of access to Flores Island as a preventive measure.
“The safety of our neighbors is our priority. Therefore, we have made immediate decisions ordering the closure of Flores Island, in order to protect the integrity of the people,” he said.
In addition, he stated that he hopes that the collapse will allow actions to be expedited to definitively address the problem.
“We hope that this unfortunate event will allow the corresponding authorities to act with the urgency that the situation demands and that, finally, a comprehensive and definitive solution will be provided to this problem that for years put our municipality at risk,” he concluded.
For its part, Conred reported that specialized teams from the institution are on site to evaluate the damage caused by the collapse of a section of the filled bridge that connects Santa Elena with the Island of Flores.
The entity asked the population to comply with the provisions issued by local authorities regarding entry and exit from the island, while technical inspections continue.
“We call on the population to follow the instructions of local authorities for entering and leaving Flores Island and stay informed through official sources, remembering that in the event of any emergency or disaster situation they can call the relief corps, authorities of their community or the national emergency telephone number 119,” said Conred.
The institution has not reported how long the passage restrictions will remain in place or the extent of the damage detected in the structure.
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