Residents in southwestern Mexico are evacuating their homes after the remnants of Hurricane John unleashed deadly floods and landslides along the Pacific coastline. The hurricane ravaged the region for a week, leaving more than 20 people dead and causing widespread destruction.
In Guerrero, the worst-hit state and one of Mexico’s poorest regions, the coastal city of Acapulco bore the brunt of the storm. Locals were seen digging through mud and rubble that engulfed their properties. According to local media reports, at least 18 people have been killed, many due to mudslides that crushed houses in the area.
“It was still raining, and the soil was sliding. People came out crying. I don’t know if anyone was buried. They say that people were coming from work when the landslide happened. People were crying; they were terrified by the landslide. The Civil Protection came, but if it rains, another landslide may happen,” said Olga Flores, an Acapulco resident.
The city was hit by Category 5 storm Otis last October, which left over 50 people dead and caused billions of dollars in damages. However, the rainfall from Hurricane John was nearly triple the amount from Otis, exacerbating the destruction.
Further south, at least three deaths were reported in Oaxaca, while in Michoacan State to the north, a young boy tragically died in a river swollen by the storm.
Hurricane John rapidly strengthened into a major hurricane last Monday before tearing into Guerrero. The storm dissipated but then reformed offshore, skimming the coastline northward for the rest of the week and bringing torrential rain and floods.
By Friday, Hurricane John began dissipating and is no longer considered an active storm. Although heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were forecast across Guerrero and parts of Oaxaca for Saturday, authorities in Acapulco noted that floodwaters were starting to recede, offering a glimmer of hope to the beleaguered residents.
Reference(s):
Mexicans flee flooded homes as deadly Hurricane John dissipates
cgtn.com
