Two people lost their lives in Guerrero in events related to Tropical Storm Max, which made landfall in the southern Pacific coast state on Monday.
Both deaths occurred in the coastal municipality of Técpan de Galeana, located southeast of Zihuatanejo.
One person died after a public transport van plunged into a sinkhole on the Acapulco-Zihuatanejo highway, while another lost his life when he was swept away by a raging river, according to state authorities.
The Guerrero Ministry of Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection (Sgirpc) said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that one of two people in the public transport van was rescued alive and taken to hospital for treatment, but the other died due to “asphyxia by submersion.”
The Sgirpc said that the sinkhole near the Cuajilote bridge was caused by heavy rain brought by Max.
A second storm-related death occurred when a man was swept away by a river while working on his farm in the community of Nuxco. Authorities were able to rescue other people who found themselves in dangerous situations, including two people who were “trapped” in a tree for some 10 hours due to the swelling of the Técpan River.
“After several attempts during recent hours, … this morning, with the help of a helicopter from the Ministry of the Navy, we managed to carry out the rescue of two people safe and sound,” Sgirpc said Tuesday morning.
Media reports said that a married couple and their daughter were in the tree.
In addition to swelling rivers and damaging highways, rain brought by Max flooded over 90 homes, according to Sgirpc. The storm also felled scores of trees in Guerrero after making landfall in the municipality of Petatlán.
Shelters were set up in the municipalities of Técpan, Petatlán, Coyuca de Benítez, Acapulco and Zihuatanejo, according to Governor Evelyn Salgado.
In the community of Tetitlán in Técpan, 50 families affected by the storm received assistance from state authorities and the army, Sgirpc said.
“A damage census was carried out in the area and the evacuation of people was supported,” the ministry said.
The United States National Hurricane Center said early Tuesday that Max had dissipated after moving inland over Mexico.
However, there is little respite for Mexico’s Pacific coast, with Hurricane Lidia – a Category 3 storm at midday Mexico City time – forecast to make landfall between Manzanillo, Colima, and El Roblito, Nayarit, on Tuesday night or early Wednesday. That area includes the entire Pacific coast of Jalisco.
