One dead and more than a thousand evacuated by tropical storm in southern Mexico

At least one person has lost his life and more than a thousand have been evacuated in the north of the Mexican state of Chiapas, in the south of the country, due to heavy rains caused by tropical depression ‘Karl’, as reported by Civil Protection.

Rescue agencies have evacuated more than a thousand residents of the municipality of Pichucalco while they were at a religious event due to the flooding of the Pichucalco river. In the same area a seven year old boy was reported missing and has been able to be located later.

Another 120 people from 40 families have been evacuated after the overflowing of the El Cristo stream, which caused floods up to three meters high in at least five neighborhoods. The flood caught a 65 year old person inside her home. She was able to be rescued, but was taken seriously to a hospital, where she eventually died. There are two temporary shelters in the area where families are being cared for with food and shelter.

In addition, in the municipality of Ostuacán 35 families have been evacuated due to the overflowing of the Magdalena River. The rains have also damaged the section of the Pichucalco-Juarez highway and have caused the collapse of the Ciudad Rural Ostuacan-Sayul0 bridge and the Sunuapa bridge over the Platanar river.

Storm ‘Karl’ will leave torrential rains that could cause mudslides, landslides, overflowing of rivers and streams or damage to roads and highways. There are also warnings of flooding in low-lying areas and sewer saturation in urban areas.

Chiapas state authorities have identified Centro, Jonuta, Tenosique, Cardenas, Huimanguillo, Centla and Teapa as the most affected municipalities.