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The first hurricane of the season in the Mexican Pacific, which officially begins on June 1, has left destruction and death in one of the poorest areas of the state of Oaxaca. After passing through the coast, the intense rainfall has caused the flooding and the overflow of rivers and landslides. Official sources confirm the death of at least 11 people, 33 are still missing and there are municipalities incommunicado.
The authorities of the southern state of Oaxaca in Mexico have concluded that the fatalities and the disappeared after the passage of Agatha, are due to the flooding of the rivers and their subsequent overflow.
“There are 33 disappeared and 11 deaths (…) basically in the upper part of the coast,” said the governor of Oaxaca, Alejandro Murat, in a videoconference broadcast from the National Palace.
Agatha, now a remnant low pressure, arrived on the afternoon of Monday, May 30, as a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson scale (out of 5) west of Puerto Ángel, Mexico (about 2,500 inhabitants), in the upper area of the coast and the Sierra Sur region. And although initially it only left material damage, its remnants have unleashed intense rainfall.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent a message of solidarity from his daily address. “I embrace the relatives of those who have lost their lives, I hope that we find the disappeared when all the communities can be reached, we will be in that search,” said the head of state.
Affected families in Oaxaca and isolated municipalities
The most affected families, according to the authorities, are part of communities in the middle of the mountains and with a high proportion of indigenous population (one of the most impoverished in Mexico), whom it has been difficult to help due to flooded roads, landslides and ground slides.
To mitigate the emergency, the state authorities have sent more than 1,900 soldiers, nearly 1,500 sailors and around 500 police officers to clean the roads and try to access the affected communities, while 500 officials began a damage census in seven municipalities and others begin to work on the restoration of telecommunications and the flow of electricity.
In coordination with the three orders of government, a helicopter from the Mexican Army is transferred with supplies and support materials to the municipality of Santiago Xanica, District of Miahuatlán, affected by the passage of Hurricane Agatha. #PreventIsLive @alejandromurat pic.twitter.com/TmbEWphSBu
— Civil Protection Oax (@CEPCO_GobOax) June 1, 2022
Governor Murat stated this Wednesday, June 1, that he has a helicopter ready “in the Huatulco resort and if there are weather conditions, it will be used to reach municipalities that are incommunicado.” In addition, he asked to issue a declaration of emergency in 26 municipalities.
Laura Velázquez, coordinator of Federal Civil Protection, confirmed what Murat said and added that “the effects are also due to falling trees, the increase in the flow of rivers, as well as the collapse of two bridges.”
Agatha marks the start of an “active hurricane season.”
The Yucatan peninsula prepares to receive the aftermath of Agatha. According to the forecast of the National Meteorological Service (SMN), there is a 70% probability that in five days the effects will reach the Atlantic with the potential for cyclone formation, which would be called ‘Alex’, which would affect the peninsula and threaten Florida. this weekend.
The remnants of this cyclone may become the first tropical storm this year in the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States.
There will also be rains in a large area of the south and east of the country. “The rainfall could generate landslides, increase in the levels of rivers and streams, and overflows and floods in low-lying areas,” warned the Mexican SMN. The neighboring state of Veracruz, where there are numerous and mighty rivers, is also on alert.
Mexico: vulnerable territory between two oceans and climate change
According to the Meteorological, the 2021 season was moderately active with 40 phenomena. Of those, 15 were hurricanes. In October 1997, storm Paulina hit the Mexican Pacific coast as hurricane 4, leaving more than 200 dead and serious damage to the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero.
The SMN predicted on May 17 the formation of up to 40 named tropical phenomena by 2022, of which at least five will impact the country, both in the Pacific and the Atlantic. In the case of the Pacific, they said that 8 to 10 tropical storms, 4 to 5 category 1 and 2 hurricanes, and 2 to 4 category 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes are expected.
This afternoon, the vast area of #Low pressure associated with the remnants of #Agatha maintains 70% probability for cyclonic development in 48 hours.
Detailed information here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/smILZaiK3n
— CONAGUA Climate (@conagua_clima) June 1, 2022
While 16 to 21 systems are predicted for the Atlantic: 10 to 11 tropical storms, 4 to 6 hurricanes categories 1 and 2and from 2 to 4 categories 3, 4 and 5.
The Aztec country lives every year, between May 15 and November 30, the onslaught of tropical cyclones or hurricanes for being located between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, a factor to which global warming is added. Phenomena that bring with them destructive winds, torrential rains and floods.
With AFP, EFE and local media
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