At least 47 people have been killed after torrential rains triggered floods and landslides across central and eastern Mexico, leaving behind scenes of destruction and grief.
The hardest-hit areas include the states of Hidalgo, Puebla, Queretaro, and Veracruz, where swollen rivers and mudslides have swept away homes and roads.
In the mountain town of Huauchinango, residents searched through the mud for missing relatives. “We’re sad, but at least we can give her a Christian burial,” said 76-year-old Rosalia Ortega, standing beside the body of her sister.
Dozens of small villages remain cut off as roads, power lines, and communication networks are destroyed. Soldiers have been deployed to clear debris and help survivors.
Locals described rivers of mud tearing through their communities. “We held hands so the water wouldn’t take one of us,” said Petra Rodriguez, who escaped with her family as floodwaters surrounded their home.
Meteorologists say the heavy downpour was caused by a seasonal shift bringing humid air from the Gulf of Mexico into the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains. The government has warned that more rain is expected in the coming days.