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Mexico storms claim lives

September 16, 2013

Hurricane Ingrid and Tropical Storm Manuel have triggered landslides and floods on Mexico’s east and west coasts. The weather systems have forced thousands from their homes and have claimed at least 17 lives.

https://p.dw.com/p/19hyj
Flood-affected residents travel on the back of a truck through a flooded neighbourhood in Poza Rica, in the Mexican state of Veracruz September 14, 2013. Hurricane Ingrid strengthened on Saturday night as it spun off Mexico's Gulf Coast, dumping heavy rain across central and eastern Mexico. Ingrid, with sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (130 kph), could grow even stronger over the next two days as it nears Mexico's coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. REUTERS/Jorge Huerta (MEXICO - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT TRANSPORT)
Image: Reuters

Tropical Storm Manuel made landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast with winds of 45 miles (85 kilometers) per hour, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Sunday. Water rose as high as three feet (one meter) in parts of Acapulco.

The NHC reported that as of 2100 UCT, Ingrid's center was 110 miles (175 kilometers) east of Tampico, Veracruz with maximum winds of at least 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour. The storm is expected to bring hurricane conditions to the states of Veracruz and Tamaulipas early Monday morning when it is forecast to make landfall. Overflowing rivers have forced around 6,000 people from their homes in Veracruz.

Ingrid is expected to cause a storm surge of as much as five feet (1.5 meters), with “large and destructive waves,” according to forecasters. Ingrid is the second hurricane of the Atlantic storm season.

The storms have been blamed for at least 17 deaths since Saturday. Most of the deaths occurred in the southwestern state of Guerrero from landslides and structure collapses.

The weather conditions led some communities in affected states to cancel Independence Day celebrations planned for Sunday and Monday.

State-run energy firm Pemex also evacuated three oil platforms Sunday off the Gulf coast of the northeastern state of Tamaulipas.

hc/lw (Reuters, AFP, AP)