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Mexicans flee flooded homes as deadly Hurricane John dissipates

CGTN

A man removes sand from his house following Hurricane John near Acapulco, Guerrero State, Mexico, on September 29, 2024. /CFP
A man removes sand from his house following Hurricane John near Acapulco, Guerrero State, Mexico, on September 29, 2024. /CFP

A man removes sand from his house following Hurricane John near Acapulco, Guerrero State, Mexico, on September 29, 2024. /CFP

On Saturday residents in southwestern Mexico evacuated homes flooded by the remnants of Hurricane John that ravaged the Pacific coastline for a week, bringing deadly floods and landslides that reportedly left more than 20 people dead.

In Guerrero, the worst-hit state and one of Mexico's poorest, residents of Acapulco were seen digging through mud and rubble that had smothered their properties. At least 18 people had been killed, according to local media, many due to mudslides that crushed houses.

"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, Acapulco resident.

The city was hit by the Category 5 storm Otis last October, which left over 50 people dead and billions of dollars in damages. But John's rainfall was nearly triple the amount from Otis.

To the south, local media reported at least three deaths in Oaxaca, while a young boy died in a river to the north in Michoacan State.

John rapidly strengthened into a major hurricane on Monday before tearing into Guerrero. It dissipated, then reformed offshore and for the rest of the week skimmed the coastline north, bringing torrential rain and floods.

John began dissipating on Friday and is no longer considered an active storm. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were forecast across Guerrero and parts of Oaxaca later on Saturday, but authorities in Acapulco said the floodwaters were starting to fall back.

Source(s): Reuters
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