Torrential rains that pounded Mexico last week have left at least 64 people dead and 65 others missing, the government announced on Monday. Emergency teams continue to battle the aftermath of widespread flooding and landslides across several regions.
The disaster was triggered by an unnamed tropical depression that struck late in the rainy season, overwhelming already saturated rivers and triggering deadly landslides in the Gulf Coast and central states.
The storm’s intensity caught meteorologists off guard, as attention had been focused on other tropical systems forming over the Pacific.
“This intense rain was not expected to be of such magnitude,” President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters, adding that her administration is prioritizing rescue operations and reconstruction efforts.
Sheinbaum said about 100,000 homes were affected and announced plans to meet with the finance ministry later on Monday to coordinate rebuilding funds and visit the worst-hit areas.
According to Admiral Raymundo Morales, Mexico’s Navy Secretary, the flooding resulted from the collision of warm and cold air fronts over rivers that were already at capacity, combined with mountain slopes weakened by months of continuous rainfall.
The states of Hidalgo and Veracruz bore the brunt of the disaster, said Laura Velázquez, the national coordinator of civil protection.
Veracruz recorded 29 deaths and 18 missing persons, while Hidalgo reported 21 deaths and 43 missing. Several other states experienced severe damage to roads, bridges, and utilities.
Images and videos from the affected regions showed entire neighborhoods submerged, streets covered in thick mud, and emergency responders wading through waist-deep waters to rescue stranded residents and deliver supplies.
Thousands of personnel have been deployed for evacuation, clean-up, and monitoring of high-risk areas.
Electricity has since been restored to most of the five states impacted, though authorities are now shifting their focus to public health concerns.
Officials warned of the potential spread of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne virus that thrives in stagnant floodwaters.
President Sheinbaum pledged full government support for the victims, saying Mexico would “rebuild stronger and ensure that no community is left behind” as recovery operations continue across the country.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
