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Catastrophe in Mexico: More than 40 dead due to devastating storms!
Severe storms in Mexico: floods and landslides claim 41 lives. Relief operations and meteorological warnings follow.
Catastrophe in Mexico: More than 40 dead due to devastating storms!
Severe storms are currently tearing through Mexico, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. Loud Radio Ennepe Ruhr At least 41 people have already died, while 27 others are missing. This disaster was triggered by heavy rains that have been falling over the country since last Thursday. The states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla and Querétaro are particularly affected, where the situation is devastating.
In addition, tens of thousands of houses and important infrastructure such as clinics, schools and bridges are damaged. The force of the rains caused rivers to overflow their banks and led to numerous landslides. Many small towns are cut off from the outside world and difficult to reach, which makes rescue efforts even more difficult.
Rescue efforts underway
Around 10,000 soldiers are deployed in the fight against the forces of nature, supported by boats, helicopters and excavators. These forces are clearing roads, helping people out of flooded areas and providing them with food. In Puebla, for example, a tiger from a zoo that went missing after the flood was found dead, underlining the tragedy.
The authorities have set up emergency shelters to give those affected a roof over their heads. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has described the alarming situation as a consequence of unusually heavy rainfall that has occurred this year. Meteorologists are also warning of further rainfall, which increases the risk of additional landslides. The soils in the affected regions are already oversaturated and can no longer absorb any more water ZDF today reported.
Climate change as a contributing factor
The current storms are not the first time that Mexico has had to deal with extreme weather conditions. Already in 2023 there were numerous weather events favored by climate change and the El Niño phenomenon. An analysis of NPLA shows that this combination has hit Latin America and the Caribbean hard, resulting in droughts, heat waves, wildfires and torrential rains.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has emphasized the need to invest in national meteorological and hydrological services, as only a fraction of countries in the region have sufficient climate-related services. This could help to respond better to extreme weather events in the future and reduce people's suffering.
The coming days remain critical and there is great hope that the situation will stabilize. The storms have once again shown that our environment is more vulnerable than ever to extreme influences, and the people of Mexico are facing a huge challenge.