At least 16 people died in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero after Tropical Storm John battered large parts of the country’s south and west with strong winds, torrential rain and flooding.
Among the most affected states, in addition to Oaxaca and Guerrero, are Michoacán and Colima, the Mexican newspaper ‘Mienio’ reports, and highlights the critical situation in which the city of Acapulco finds itself, where the main access roads are affected by floods and flooding. Landslides.
In a statement, the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) has appointed a special brigade that will “be vigilant this weekend” to ensure that prices in Acapulco supermarkets are “respected” after the floods and “no. Abuses are committed against consumers.”
In Acapulco, around 1,900 people had to leave their homes, according to data collected by the Ministry of National Defense (Cedena) collected by ‘La Jornada’. The ministry also says that more than 6,000 National Guard soldiers and more than 3,000 army personnel have been deployed on the ground to “assist and support” civilians affected by the ‘John’ impact.
Although this weather phenomenon seems to have weakened and turned from a hurricane to a tropical storm, many parts of the country are still at risk, which is why the Central Electricity Authority (CFE) – at the request of the civil defense – “increased the suspension. Flood-affected areas of Guerrero must remain powered until conditions are safe.
In this state, CFE reported that around 102,300 people are currently without electricity, which is 7% of the total number of electricity network users in the state.
The National Weather Service (SMN) warned that “Tropical Storm John’ continues to move slowly and erratically off the central Mexican Pacific coast, and maintained a forecast of “unusual occasional rain”, “heavy rain” and “severe” rain, as well as strong winds in various parts of the country. and waves.
“Precipitation produced by tropical cyclones can include electrical discharges, strong winds and hail. More intense rains can cause landslides, increases in the level of rivers and streams, and flooding and flooding in low-lying areas of the specified states, which is why people are asked to heed the warnings of the National Weather Service, the National Commission da Água (Conagua) and follow the recommendations of the Civil Protection, considering rainy conditions, strong winds and high waves, SMN said in a statement on Friday.