Heavy rains have dampened activities at CIMMYT’s Toluca station. On 13 May a storm in the neighboring mountains sent large amounts of water rushing downhill, across the highway, and onto station property. The water washed debris such as garbage, tree trunks, and old tires across four hectares of station’s fields. “I’ve been here 15 years, and this is the first time a flood like this has taken place,” said Toluca station superintendent Fernando Delgado, adding he believes inadequate drainage systems to accommodate expanding settlements in surrounding hillsides contributed to the flood. The unexpected waters damaged some of the station’s commercial crops, but no experimental ones. Workers are using heavy machinery to clean the area, hoping to finish before the annual rainy season and planting activities in June.
