POZA RICA, Mexico — Residents of the low-lying neighborhoods in Poza Rica first heard the approaching flood before they saw it. The sound of vehicles crashing as they were swept away by water was overwhelming as the Cazones River overflowed, inundating the streets with over 12 feet (4 meters) of water early Friday morning.
By Saturday, much of the water had receded. However, the aftermath was sheer devastation, with bizarre scenarios created by the collision of natural forces and human creations – such as cars stranded atop trees and a dead horse lodged inside a pickup truck.
Heavy rains triggering landslides and floods in central and southeastern Mexico led to an increasing death toll, reaching 41 by Saturday, as reported by authorities. In Veracruz state, where soldiers tirelessly worked to clear roads and rescue the missing, rainfall surpassed 540 millimeters (over 21 inches) between Oct. 6 and 9.
Poza Rica, located 170 miles (275 kms) northeast of Mexico City and known for its oil industry, experienced the deluge with little forewarning. Some residents sensed the impending danger a few hours before and hurriedly gathered their possessions to evacuate.
Shadack Azuara, 27, arrived early Friday, around 3 a.m., to check on his uncle. Not receiving a response, he assumed his uncle had evacuated with others and returned home to prepare himself.
By Saturday, with no word on his uncle—a retired oil services worker and recycling enthusiast—Azuara returned to find him deceased, shirtless and face down in the filthy water surrounding his bed, seemingly drowned. He spent countless hours trying to contact authorities to retrieve the body.
“We thought he had gone, that he had evacuated with all of those who left,” Azuara said.
Mexico’s National Coordination of Civil Protection reported that as of Saturday, the heavy rains had killed 16 people in the state of Hidalgo, north of Mexico City, and cut off power to 150 communities there. At least nine people were killed in the state of Puebla, east of Mexico City, and over 16,000 homes damaged or destroyed.
There were also 15 deaths in the state of Veracruz, where the army and navy were helping rescue residents from 42 communities left isolated by landslides on roads and flooded streams. Authorities said they were searching for 27 missing people across the region.
As night fell in Poza Rica, heavy equipment rumbled through dark muddy streets. There was no electricity and little presence from the National Guard or army, but people did what they could to begin cleaning out their homes and businesses.
Across the Gulf coast state’s 55 municipalities, another 16,000 homes were damaged. Earlier, in the central state of Querétaro, a child died being caught in a landslide.
Across the country, over 320,000 users were affected by power outages caused by the heavy rains, authorities said. Authorities have attributed the deadly downpours to Tropical Storm Priscilla, formerly a hurricane, and Tropical Storm Raymond, both off the western coast of Mexico.
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