The governor of the southern state of Oaxaca said Tuesday that Hurricane Agatha, which caused dangerous flooding and landslides in southern Mexico, killed 11 people and left 20 missing.
Hurricane Agatha kills at least 11 and kills at least 20 in southern Mexico
Governor Alejandro Murat said other victims were trapped in mud and rocks as rivers overflowed and people were evacuated from their homes. Murat said the deaths were concentrated in a handful of small mountain habitats near the sea.
Agatha made history as the strongest hurricane to make landfall in May during the eastern Pacific hurricane season.
It was a Category 2 hurricane, with winds of up to 105 mph, but Murat said power had been restored to some communities near the coast, but some bridges had been washed away and several highways blocked by landslides.
The Tonameca River, which flows through the town of San Isidro del Palmer, just a few kilometers from the shore, was submerged.
Balancing the pile of clothes on the head, the residents retrieved whatever they could from the houses and walked up to their necks through the water.
Dirty water from Tonomeka reached the windows of parked vehicles and local transit vans.
The beach resort near Cipolite, known for its clothing-optional beach and bohemian mood, is battered by heavy rain and strong winds. Sylvia Runfagni, manager of the Casa Kalmar Hotel in Cipolite, said the wind had been blowing for about six hours on Monday.
Agatha formed Sunday and quickly gained power. Jeff Masters, meteorologist at Yale Climate Connections and founder of Weather Underground, said May was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the eastern Pacific.