MEXICO FLOODS DEATH TOLL SURGES TO 129: Heartbreaking Scenes Unfold as Torrential Rains Wreak Havoc on Five States
- At least 64 people confirmed dead, with 65 others missing, as floodwaters ravage Mexico’s central region
- Torrential rains overflow rivers, destroying 100,000 homes and leaving thousands stranded
- Oil spills complicate clean-up efforts, as authorities scramble to contain spread of stagnant water-induced diseases
Mexico is reeling from the devastating effects of widespread flooding, with the death toll soaring to 129 as torrential rains continue to batter the country’s central region. In a heartbreaking update, authorities confirmed that at least 64 people have lost their lives, with 65 others still missing.
The unprecedented downpours have wrought havoc on five states, with Veracruz and Hidalgo bearing the brunt of the disaster. The states of Puebla, Querétaro, and others have also been affected, leaving thousands of people stranded and in dire need of assistance.
“This intense rain was not expected to be of such magnitude,” Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum told media on Monday evening, local time. “We’re doing everything possible to rebuild and contain the spread of diseases.”
Admiral Raymundo Morales, Mexico’s Navy secretary, explained that the flooding was a result of the coming together of warm and cold air fronts over rivers that were already filled to the brink and mountains weakened by months of rain.
The torrential rains have also destroyed critical infrastructure, including bridges, and left streets filled with mud and debris. In the oil-rich town of Poza Rica, a city 275 kilometres north-east of the capital, residents are struggling to cope with the aftermath of the disaster.
Lilia Ramirez, a local resident, described the moment when floodwaters swept into her home, carrying oil residue that streaked her walls. “Never before has it been tarred before like that,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion.
Her husband, Roberto Olvera, recalled the anguishing moment when a siren from a nearby Pemex facility alerted them to danger. “It was a really anguishing moment because a lot of people from the neighbourhood stayed behind and some perished,” he said.
As the government scrambles to respond to the crisis, President Sheinbaum acknowledged that it could still be days before access is established to some affected areas. “A lot of flights are required to take sufficient food and water” to those places, she said.
The Mexican government has deployed 10,000 troops and civilian rescue teams to aid in evacuation, clearing up, and monitoring efforts. Helicopters have been ferrying food and water to about 200 communities that remain cut off, and carrying out the sick and injured.
Despite the challenges, President Sheinbaum denied that government systems had failed to provide sufficient warning. “It would have been difficult to have had much advance knowledge of this situation, [it’s] different with hurricanes,” she said.