Tropical Storm Ivo left two dead and communities across the country ravaged by floods, sinkholes, hailstorms and damaged infrastructure over the weekend.
The deaths, a minor in Ahome, Sinaloa, and an adult male in Monterrey, Nuevo León, were both caused by electrocution. The seven-year-old child was electrocuted when lightning struck as he touched a refrigerator.
Sinaloa Governor Quirino Ordaz Coppel urged the federal government to send aid to victims in the affected municipalities of Guasave, Elota, Mocorito, El Rosario and Mazatlán, all in a state of emergency.
In Ahome, which was in the process of declaring an emergency, seven temporary emergency shelters were opened in Los Mochis to attend to 268 people forced to evacuate their homes.
A sinkhole opened up on the Mazatlán-Culiacán highway, forcing the closure of two of the road’s four lanes.
MIENTRAS TANTO EN HERMOSILLO, DESPUÉS DE LAS TORTILLAS DE AYER… pic.twitter.com/0XXpqjvfjz
— Hugo Alberto Soto Co (@hasc1965) August 23, 2019
The state Civil Protection agency said that 25 schools had been flooded, but all had been cleaned up before the start of classes on Monday.
The same could not be said of schools in Comondú, Baja California Sur.
The start of the school year was postponed in Ciudad Insurgentes after heavy rains early Saturday morning flooded schools.
State Governor Carlos Mendoza said that although the flooding damaged homes and forced evacuations, there were no casualties. He added that damaged homes will be assessed so that the owners can receive aid.
Other affected states include Sonora, Puebla, Michoacán, and Morelos, which saw heavy rains and hailstorms.
Ivo was downgraded yesterday to a tropical depression as it lay 480 kilometers to the west of Cabo San Lucas.
Sources: El Universal (sp), El Universal (sp), Milenio (sp)
