Floods and landslides claim dozens of lives

Severe flooding and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in southeastern Mexico have left at least 41 people dead, local authorities said on Saturday.

Mexico’s government said in a statement that 15 were killed in Veracruz, 9 in Puebla, 16 in Hidalgo, and one in Queretaro, while a search for 27 missing people was underway.

The country’s Security Ministry said that 117 cities and municipalities in five states have been heavily impacted. Authorities said that many of the dead had been caught up in landslides.

Torrential rain triggers deadly flash floods in Mexico. The heavy rainfall of is partly due to the tropical cyclones Priscilla and Raymond in the Pacific.

Thousands of soldiers deployed

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said that at least 6,700 soldiers were being deployed to assist with emergency relief operations and to help clear roads.

“We are not leaving anyone behind; we are taking care of families who have lost a loved one,” Sheinbaum wrote on X.

Authorities said that at least 34,000 houses and also hospitals, schools and critical infrastructure including roads have been damaged.

Landslides cut off some communities

Some communities have been cut off as a result of the floods. Mexico’s navy was helping rescue residents from over 40 communities in some locations.

Power has also been cut off with 320,000 people impacted. Government officials said work to restore damaged power lines was underway.

In one municipality — in the central state of Puebla — a tiger escaped when the zoo flooded, but was later captured by authorities.

Local authorities said that between October 6 and 9, heavy rain fell in five states, with Veracruz receiving the most with 540 mm.

The rainfall is partly due to the tropical cyclones Priscilla and Raymond in the Pacific. Meteorologists predict further rain in the coming days.