Tropical Storm Rachel and Hurricane Simon have killed five people in Mexico, including four members of the same family in the north-western state of Baja California and a man in the southern state of Guerrero. Five people remain missing despite the storm having subsided.
Baja California family found
The Baja California prosecutor’s office said on Monday that four members of the same family, including two minors, died in flooding caused by heavy rain accompanying Storm Rachel as it passed through the area. The bodies of the four family members were found on the outskirts of the city of Ensenada in Baja California, in a poor and sparsely populated area.
Security forces rescued 32 people after they were surrounded by floodwaters in various areas, particularly using helicopters. In the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, Governor Evelyn Salgado said on Monday that Hurricane Simon had caused the death of a 71-year-old man when a wall collapsed.
Hurricane damage eases as its path changes
The hurricane had been expected to cause greater damage, but its wind speed fell as it crossed mountainous areas while advancing slowly along the coast. Simon also changed course after forecasts had indicated that it would make direct landfall over the weekend.
The latest bulletin from the United States National Hurricane Centre said the hurricane was currently expected to move away from Mexico’s coastline, with a possibility that it could make landfall in the state of Sinaloa on Wednesday evening.
Experts expect a more intense hurricane season because of the climate phenomenon El Niño, which causes Pacific Ocean water temperatures to rise.
