MEXICO CITY (AP) – Death toll from landslides and flooding caused by incessant rain in central and southeastern regions Mexico Officials said the number of missing people rose to 37 on Saturday, a sharp rise as thousands of soldiers cleared blocked roads to rescue missing people across the country.
Mexico’s National Civil Protection Coordination Agency reported that as of Saturday, heavy rains had killed 22 people in Hidalgo state, north of Mexico City, and left 150 communities in the state without power. At least nine people were killed and more than 16,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in Puebla state, east of Mexico City.
Five people were killed in Veracruz state, and the army and navy were helping to rescue residents from 42 communities stranded by landslides on roads and overflowing rivers. An additional 16,000 homes were damaged in 55 municipalities in the Gulf Coast states. Earlier, a child was killed in a landslide in the central state of Queretaro.
According to authorities, more than 320,000 users across the country were affected by power outages due to heavy rain. Officials believe the cause of the deadly downpour is as follows: Tropical Storm Priscillapreviously a hurricane, Tropical Storm Raymond, both of which formed off the west coast of Mexico.
