The death toll from incidents related to flooding in Mexico last week has risen to 64, the federal government reported on Monday morning.
An additional 65 people are missing, indicating that the number of rain-related fatalities is likely to continue to rise.
The deaths occurred across four states that received extremely heavy rain last week, according to information presented by national Civil Protection chief Laura Velázquez at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.
- Veracruz is the worst-affected state with 29 fatalities and 18 people missing.
- In Hidalgo, 21 people have died and 43 people are missing.
- Puebla has recorded 13 deaths and four people are missing.
- One person — a six-year-old boy — died in a landslide in Querétaro.
Among those who died are victims of drownings in flood waters as well as people buried by landslides.
Velázquez said that the four states where fatalities occurred, as well as San Luis Potosí, received heavy rain between Oct. 6 and 9. The precipitation was associated with Post-Tropical Cyclone Priscilla, formerly a hurricane, and Tropical Storm Raymond. Various rivers burst their banks and landslides occurred in several states as a result of the torrential rain.
Flooding affected scores of municipalities across Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí. Flooding and landslides caused “132 interruptions” to federal highways, reported Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, federal minister for infrastructure, communications and transport. All but two of those interruptions have been cleared, Sheinbaum said.
Many secondary highways and other roads were also cut off by flooding and landslides. The director of the Federal Electricity Commission, Emilia Esther Calleja Alor, reported that almost 263,000 electricity customers in flood-affected states lost power in recent days. She said that electricity service had been restored for 84% of those customers by 6 a.m. Monday.
Among the cities and towns where streets, homes and businesses have been inundated with water are Poza Rica, Álamo and Tuxpan in Veracruz; Huehuetla in Hidalgo; and Huauchinango in Puebla. Dozens of shelters were set up to provide emergency accommodation to people forced to evacuate their homes. Authorities have also provided medical assistance and meals, and distributed groceries and water.
National Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla said Monday that 7,347 members of the Mexican Army and the National Guard were deployed to Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí to respond to the flooding and damage caused by the heavy rain. In addition, 3,300 members of the Mexican Navy were deployed to Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí, said Navy Minister Raymundo Morales.
Helicopters, boats, heavy machinery, mobile kitchens and water treatment systems and drones, among other equipment, have supported efforts to respond to the prevailing conditions.
Trevilla said that the Air Force established three air bridges on Sunday to get supplies to communities in Veracruz, Hidalgo and Puebla.
Authorities are set to commence a damage census on Monday. Sheinbaum said that it is estimated that 100,000 homes have been damaged by flooding, and pledged to provide support to the affected people. Those people will receive initial financial support in the coming days, said Welfare Minister Ariadna Montiel. Assistance to replace damaged electrical appliances and other household items will be provided sometime after the census has been completed.
Sheinbaum said “there are sufficient resources” to respond to the flooding and assist affected people.
Sheinbaum visits flood-affected areas, faces criticism from locals
Sheinbaum visited various flood-affected municipalities on Sunday, including Poza Rica in Veracruz, where angry residents accused authorities of failing to adequately respond to the situation.
“You’re useless!” one woman shouted at the president, according to the newspaper Reforma.
“… The governor isn’t doing anything,” complained the woman, referring to Rocio Nahle.
Another Poza Rica resident complained that the army “doesn’t want to go into houses” to help people. “There are families that haven’t received help yet,” he said.
Other residents pointed out that people are missing, with one person asking the president what her “message” was for them.
Sheinbaum told residents that her government was committed to assisting the clean-up efforts in Veracruz and ensuring that people had food to eat and clean water to drink.
Sheinbaum also visited flood-affected parts of Puebla, including Huauchinango and the community of La Ceiba, located in the municipality of Xicotepec.
With reports from Reforma, El Universal, El Financiero, El Economista and Milenio
