Loose buoys in the Rio Grande
Around 100 buoys and floating walls placed by the Texas government on the border between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, dislodged due to recent rains and the increased flow of the Rio Grande. State Civil Protection images show how the structures are carried away by the current; some are already stuck in Mexican territory.
International bridges were immediately closed due to the risk of impact. Eagle Pass Mayor Aaron Valdez reported on social media that they would remain closed until the buoys passed. His counterpart from Piedras Negras, Jacobo Rodríguez, confirmed the situation in a video: “There are 100 coming that were brought by the current and they are loose; let’s hope they get stuck somewhere.”
Each floating wall weighs about a ton. Given the possibility of hitting the bridge structure, it was decided to close the border crossing.
No risk of overflow for now
The buoys, installed to deter unauthorized migrant crossings, were placed on the US shore. Francisco Contreras Obregón, regional coordinator of State Civil Protection, explained that between 5 and 6 in the afternoon the flow would reach its maximum point: 2,183 cubic meters per second, with a depth of 7.5 meters. He assured that there is no risk of overflow, but urged the population not to approach the area.




